


Surviving is just the first challenge

by saye0036



Category: James Bond (Craig movies), James Bond (Movies), James Bond - All Media Types, James Bond/M-Works
Genre: Action/Adventure, F/M, Older Woman/Younger Man, Romance, Sexual Content, Sexual Tension, Zombie Apocalypse
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-03-10
Updated: 2014-04-10
Packaged: 2018-01-15 06:57:45
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 19
Words: 45,786
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1295689
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/saye0036/pseuds/saye0036
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Starting in the moment between life and death a relationship changes.  Then all hell breaks loose.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Standard disclaimers. I do not own any characters but those of my invention.

Surviving is just the first challenge

Healing from a gunshot wound at the age of 76 is not an easy road. M is beginning to wonder if she should have given up the fight at Skyfall. Until she remembers the look of complete panic and loss on Bond's face as he held her.

Skyfall

Damn…If she gave in he would have blamed himself for the mess that she was to blame for. It was her fault not his but she knew as certainly as the sun rises in the East that Bond would wallow in her passing.

Instead of succumbing to the darkness that is clouding her vision she holds on to the sensation of cold wetness falling off his face to hers.

Was he crying? James Bond does not cry.

Why is he all wet?

The impudence of the man…late again…never where he's suppose to be…dripping wet and crying all over her. Where was he when she needed him? When Silva had her...was holding her…trying to make her shoot the both of them.

Silva couldn't pull the trigger in the end.

Silva hated her but could not kill her…he had always been confused by his feelings for her, never more so when he saw she was hurt. M had always thought he was too focused on her in the past...craving her favour.

M ignored the sexual innuendos that Silva flung at her, with a detachment that infuriated the man apparently. M's married and not interested in ruining her career for a casual shag with an employee.

Silva wants to romanticize their passing, like Romeo & Juliet but with the same bullet.

M never imagined that he had been that obsessed with her in the past but the years of abuse had tainted the relationship to something unrecognizable.

M pondered relationships from her past, husband, children, friends and employees.

Silva's flirtation, ignored twenty years in the past, became an all-encompassing obsession...damn it she never asked him to do what he did...it would not have happened if she had been a man...Silva wanted her...she chose to ignore it and look where it got her...

Silva knew once they had defeated most of his men that it was over for him. There was no escape but by death.

M's perception of life and death is shifting in the knowledge that she is about to pass beyond the veil. M is stubborn and refuses to cross that line...yet. There is still much to do.

M's blonde knight and his trusty squire saved the day in the end.

All of this scattered minutiae floated in the spots forming in her eyes.

It continues as men and women bustled around her...fixing her.

M refuses to close her eyes but she cannot see clearly... she does not want to go to sleep…she is scared of what sleep…death, may bring…she needs wake up to tell James that it is not his fault and that he has to go on for her.

MI6 can survive without her but the organization needed men like Bond.

Bond is the best at what he does, even with destructive political disasters left in his wake.

This time he had the decency to blow up his own bloody house and not a national monument.

This is different...This time M is the mission.

Bond kidnapped her believing he could keep her safe better than the army at their disposal back at base.

Arrogance to the extreme…M admired him all the more for it.

Yes, M would live if only to torment Bond and piss off that prig Mallory.

Ha…Bond would likely miss her more than her own children.

Proving that M is a better boss than mother…regrets begin to bubble up to the surface when your life is passing by before your mind's eye…too many regrets.

Drugs are tugging at M's consciousness.

Damn…the pain was reassuring...the pain meant she was still alive.

How much time has passed?

They're pumping fresh blood to replace the lost. Causing a warmth in her cold body. The change of scene is bringing the pain back to the forefront of her awareness.

More drugs take hold...controlling her mind and leading it down into a spiral of regrets, if only's and should have's...

M could still feel Bond holding her hand.

Months Later

M was getting use to Bond's unannounced visits.

They were not just after missions anymore.

Bond arrived at least twice a week with food, treats or flowers.

M laughs it off.

Thinking on it as a peace-offering for the bullet she took in Scotland.

It is the only way M can rationalize it. If not that...then what?

James Bond is damn well not paying court to a woman of her advancing years.

Bond realizes that they cannot be seen publicly together so the visits are decidedly nocturnal and M has long since given up on threatening him with death or firing.

When Bond is in her office at work he never gives her any sign that he intends to visit.

M barely stopped herself from asking him to bring Indian food next, right in front of Tanner and Moneypenny.

Sometimes they do not even talk but sit in comfortable silence eating and drinking. They move to the sofa and watch TV or play cards.

M did not realize how much she had missed her husband's presence in the house when she got home from work.

A couple of times a week Bond makes M forget her loneliness.

For all Bond's success as a ladies man M does not think he actually dates.

Maybe Bond picks up girls for a one-off or as the youth of today say a hook-up.

M decides that it is time to ask him about such things as the two of them are in some sort of therapeutic relationship…or friendship as it were.

As it stands Bond mixes up the days that he arrives but he is beginning to choose Saturday as one of his preferred evenings.

Bond brings films with him and stays a lot longer on these evenings. Bond stays into the wee hours of the morning.

Once, the two of them fell asleep on the sofa during the film. Bond managed to wake by 4am and picks M up and moves her to the bedroom.

How did that cheeky brat know which room was her's anyway? On second thought she does not want to know…it will only raise her blood pressure.

Bond realizes that M is pretending to sleep as he carries her to her bed. Bond can't help but linger as he covers her waiting for her to open her eyes and see him here in her room and letting him have it.

Bond attempts to wake her for acknowledgement so he leans down and kisses her brow.

M is just so shocked that she does not know what to do or say about the gesture.

Faking sleep seemed the most prudent option when you have a man like Bond carrying you to bed. Unless you intend to encourage his rakish behaviour that is.

M has no doubt that Bond would press an advantage a flirt his way into her bed on impulse...maybe his is curious about the physical aspects of sex with an older woman. It's not something that she would allow herself to give into.

Bond would be unbearably smug after climbing that particular mountain. M knows for a fact that the women of MI6 were that way in the past when they managed to seduce a male M...however they soon got transferred for their lack of propriety.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Bond's being sent on a long-term mission and will be gone for weeks to months. Once the briefing is over he nods his head at her as he readies to leave.

M picks up the pad of paper in front of her and holds it for him to see as Tanner and Moneypenny leave her office.

All it said was Italian and Bond smiles.

Knowing that Bond is going for a while M decided that it was time for the two of them to have a serious talk.

That Evening

Dinner is nice and as they cleaned the dishes together M begins an interrogation of sorts.

"Why are you spending you Saturday nights with me instead of finding entertainment with anyone else?"

Bond stops wiping the dish he is currently holding. "Why?"

"Yes, Bond why? It is not that difficult a question and it's likely a better conversation than me lecturing you all evening about getting killed or destroying things on the job."

"I think I would rather have the lecture ma'am."

"Now I am really intrigued Bond. I have felt fine and I don't need the protection anymore. You killed Silva and I don't think there are any other skeletons in my closet waiting to pounce. Although, you would likely know that better than I and you seem to know the way around this house better than my own children."

They moved into the living room with their wine and sat together on the sofa.

Bond gazes into his wine glass and speaks in a low whisper. "I almost lost you."

"But you didn't."

Bond snaps his head towards her and enunciates very clearly. "You are the most important person in my life and that is the end of this discussion."

M shakes her head side to side and sighed. "I know that I am a substitute mother to you Bond, but you really don't have to put your social life on hold for me."

Bond takes a sip of wine and looks at her intently.

"No."

M looks a tad perplexed at the monosyllabic answer.

"No what?"

"No…End of discussion."

M shrugs her shoulders and continues to drink her wine stretching her feet out to the coffee table in front of them wiggling her toes.

"Your feet hurt?"

"If you had to wear heels all day yours would too."

"Give them here."

M looks at Bond confused.

"Come on then, I'll rub them for you."

M arches her eyebrow at him and smirks while swinging her legs up on the sofa and resting her feet in Bond's lap.

In all these months since Skyfall, him dropping by a couple of times a week he has never made any move to touch her or invade her personal space before.

Only that time when he carried her asleep to her room. There has been the occasional accidental caress of the hand while cleaning up the dishes but nothing this….personal.

Maybe it's Bond's impending mission that is makes him want to do something nice for M. It feels very nice regardless of his reasoning.

M must have fell into a doze because the next thing she recalls is Bond changing the channel as the movie ends.

"I'm sorry James…I dozed off during the foot rub."

"No worries M. I was just enjoying watching you."

"Bond…what is going on…here, with you…why do you keep coming to check up on me?"

Bond frowns and looks at her a long while. M sees him gulp as he closes his eyes for a moment. For a minute she swears he is going to cry or something.

"James, what is it…has something happened?"

M is starting to get worried about the boy now.

"I…I …Just want to make sure your all right. I don't trust any of your bodyguards since Mitchell tried to shoot you…I thought it would make you feel less lonely since your husband died."

"James, none of these things are your concern. My bodyguard and driver have been thrice vetted and…well, the death of my husband was a natural occurrence. Yes, I do have moments of loneliness but I have work to keep me busy. As long as I have that work to focus on I will be just fine. You're a young man and have a life of your own to lead."

Bond has a very pained look on his face. "I was just tying to be nice, M. I don't want to fight on what could be our last evening together."

M nods and sighed. "I'm sorry, I just don't see why you voluntarily spend your last evening rubbing the feet of an old woman before going away. There are more appropriate women…available to entertain you…"

"M, are you suggesting that I should go out and pick up someone to have sex with before a mission? M I had no idea that was part of the 00 handbook."

M swats his arm and laughs. "Well, maybe I will have Tanner add it to the last page."

"It's late M and you are very tired."

Bond picks up her feet and moves out from beneath them. M extends her arms towards him.

"Give me a pull will you."

Bond takes her hands and pulls her up but it is a little too sudden and M gets dizzy and falls into him. Bond holds her against him and she hears him sniff her hair and sigh.

Bond chuckles. "Are you OK M?…Not going to fall over or anything?"

Bond has not let go of her and she enjoys the closeness but realizes it is not acceptable and moves to pull away from him.

Bond has a hand on each of her arms keeping her close. He is staring at her in a very unusual way and it is making her uncomfortable and she needs to break the silence between them.

"Well, you best be off then. Do try to be careful and not destroy too much while your gone. Check in once in a while also…you know how we like to hear from you on a mission…ON TIME."

Bond is still holding her arms and she knows confusion is clear on her face. Bond looks as if he is trying to decide how to respond to her...M swears the boy is going to kiss her… but that…that would be absurd.

Bond pulls her back to his chest instead and wraps his arm around her. He murmurs goodbye into her hair and pulls back enough to kiss her forehead and then her cheek.

Then he turns and takes his coat and heads to the door. Bond looks back at her and smiles.

"Be good while I'm away and I will call and check in, I promise."

Bond winks at her and then leaves.

Christ what the hell was that!

M feels as if she's been written into a Jane Austin novel with all the subtext indicating that Bond was becoming more than a little sentimental in his old age.

This is bloody insane, yet there is a constriction in her heart. Feeling uncomfortable in his embrace, it was just all very sudden but also felt...so very good.

No…she is just a mother figure to a damaged man, orphaned young. M is Bond's only connection besides Kincade to Skyfall.

The only connection to Bond's past that exists since Skyfall.

Strange how one becomes so quickly accustom to such things. There is comfort in their companionship.

Such an odd friendship for two spies to have…could be dangerous for both. Feelings like this could be used against M in her job.

It can also affect M's own judgement while Bond is on a mission. No...she is far too professional to allow that to temper her control in the workplace.

M is not some impressionable soft-hearted woman who is swayed with a few roses and docile evenings by the fire.

Bond will not cozen her into any preferential treatment...quit the opposite is true.

If anything she will be harder on him than any of the others.

Still, M would miss Bond's visits.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

_Two Weeks Pass_

 

Moneypenny enters M's office and patiently waits of her to acknowledge her.

"Yes, Miss Moneypenny?"

"Ma'am it is almost lunch and there is your meeting with Mallory. It's been rescheduled to 45 minutes from now.  Mr. Mallory requested that Mr. Tanner and myself go with you."

"Oh…it's that late already.  Well, let's go and have Tanner meet us at the car...I wonder why the change in time."

 

_Mallory's office_

 

The three enter Mallory's outer office and sit down.

Mallory exits his office and asks Tanner and Eve to enter for a second.

the two enter the office leaving a confused and miffed M in the reception area.

A handsome elderly gentleman enters and smiles widely at M

"Hello there.  So you're the lovely lady I'm here to meet?  Well, Gareth does not lie, you are as beautiful as he said."

M has no idea what this man is talking about. She stands and extends her hand to him hoping for a proper introduction.

"Hello, I am M and you are?"

"Mallory, William Mallory.  At your service, Emma. " Mallory is still grasping her hand and raises it to his lips.

The lilt of his Irish accent and blue eyes full of mischief make her smile in spite of herself.  William is a tall man, well-built and so far charming on first impression.

"By the shocked look on your face I take it that my son never told you that he was trying to get us to meet and become friendly, as a way to ward off the boredom of widow and widowerhood."

"No…I had no idea but I am beginning to think that my staff are in on this also.  They are in his office as we speak."

"Well then, shall we?"  William extends the crook of his are towards M.

M looks at him with a surprised look on her face. "Shall we what?"

"I suggest we do what the younglings want but not in the way they want it.  Let us go for lunch without them and get to know each other without them hanging on every false pleasantry and anecdote we have."

M smiles and takes his arm.  "I have a driver outside where would you like to go Mr. Mallory?"

"First off…call me Will… not Mr. Mallory…save that for Gareth and second how about a simple pub…I don't care for a fancy lunch how about you?"

"I think it will serve them right not to know where we are for a bit."

Will laughed.  "Exactly! Now a days I swear with these darn mobiles they always know where we are and expect instantaneous call backs or texts. I think MI5 is likely watching everything we are doing right this moment."

M glances at him with a serious expression. "MI5…sir why would MI5 be watching us?"

M is suddenly suspicious but realizes that he is joking and has absolutely no idea of who she is or what she does for a living.

"Ha…not to worry m'lady…I just think they bloody well listen to all the mobile calls as far as I know…it is my personal dread of the monster that my son has embroiled himself in…the great, British government."

They walk out of the building and into her waiting car. M finds it amusing that men think her name is Emma.  She never bothers to correct them as it is easier to have them assume a shortened name than that her name is a letter.

William and M entered the pub and many of the regulars turned to watch them as they enter. The Pub is only half-full of business men and regulars who watch M find her seat.

M is on high alert and looks to see the tell-tale signs of operatives watching them.  M does not see any but the pub clientele glance her way enough for her to wonder if she has something on her face.

William guides her to a table and walks to the bar.  He brings back a stout for each of them.  As he approaches the table he raises an eyebrow at her as if to question if she would be all right with his choice of drinks.

M smiles and nods at him.  She doesn't drink stout often, but the idea is far from abhorrent.

"So then, I only have a few questions for you Emma. The first was already answered when I brought the drink and you did not turn up your nose or roll your eyes.  Next is why a lovely lady such as yourself does not have a man in her life?  Finally, are you a member of any knitting, book or even worse gardening clubs?"

M laughs. "No clubs and I enjoy a drink, usually whiskey and there are many men in my life."

William smiles and raised his brow in question. "Many men eh?  Exactly how many do I have to battle, to move to the front of the line?"

"None, because all the men in my life work for me. I'm the boss who keeps all the children in line."

"I find it hard to believe that you work yourself so hard, that there is no one in your life. You saw the way the blokes in here looked at you when we entered the pub. You draw men's eyes as well as a lass half your age."

"You're a flatterer Mr. Mallory."

"And you are a beautiful woman who needs entertaining outside of that work...what ever it is that you do. I was wondering why you were not retired yet?"

M looked at William with a serious expression. "I cannot tell you that and did your son put you up to this retirement talk?"

"No…Gareth said that you were a respected administrator for a government department that is all. Why what has the lad gone and done to make you this suspicious?"

"Your son has been helpful to me, personally taking lead in my department due to a medical procedure. However, he has been on the front line of trying to get me to retire. I'm just suspicious that this was all part of his plan."

"Gareth is an annoyance at times but an honest boy. He may just have your best interests at heart much like his attempt to get us together to entertain each other. I moved into his house here in London since his mother passed."

"I'm sorry for your loss William.  My husband passed just over a year ago…heart attack... and yes it is lonely."

"Fiona died of breast cancer. She didn't suffer long, only half a year.  I think Gareth is desperate to find me something to occupy my time so my adventures don't get him in trouble with the press. I have always been prone to having trouble find me. I like to go out and live, not spend my time housebound and hidden away like many our age."

"I'm out and working so I am out and I do love being part of the city and having a driver helps a great deal.  I'm a magnet for trouble at times also."

"Really...you don't cause the trouble do you?  I guess that a woman as lovely as you could always find some trouble following her around."

"I really cannot say one way or another William...I am bound by the official secrets act."  M says with a conspiratorial whisper expecting him to take it as a jest.

William gives a hearty laugh and waves for service.  William does not think she is joking about that at all...after her reaction to him thinking MI5 is listening to them.

William has overheard a few of his son's phone calls and Gareth refers to six in many of them. It explains why a woman like Emma's needed to run a department so late in life. People of their generation understand secrets better than the youth of today.

They ordered some food and continued talking throughout lunch. They share a few laughs and left the pub arm in arm to get back to M's car.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

M has seen William socially for the last month. They have shared dinners and evening walks, with guards at a distance as to not make William uncomfortable. M is enjoying his company a great deal.

M is cautious about the relationship and where it is going. Her husband had a level of understanding about her job that many men would not.  William understands that like his son her work is secret and off-limits.

William has made some comments about the guards and asked her if she is actually part of the royal family by the security surrounding her.

William is not a stupid man by any means and he has more than hinted that he thinks M's in the secret service.

The nice thing is that William does not goad her for more information, but has hinted after the first three evening dates that he wants to shake her guards and get her alone for a while.

M is not sure about advancing the relationship to the physical level. Frankly, she is a bit nervous about being alone with him.

At their age companionship is often enough for two people and M's conflicted, William is handsome, amusing and adventurous. He fills the gap in her life that Bond left when he went on assignment.

The difference between her relationship with Bond and that of William is that, M can see William in public and not hide the relationship. They're of the same generation and they don't have the barrier of a work relationship between them.

William has kissed her goodnight on each evening they spend together. Each kiss escalating in intensity to leave no doubt where William thinks this relationship is going.

Tonight William wants to come to her house after dinner and M decides to throw caution to the wind and let him. William insists she send her driver home and he will call a cab…if needed.

M is nervous and as excited as a school girl wondering how the evening will turn out.

William holds her hand as they go to her door. They enter her house around 10, as they have lingered over a late dinner. M senses that William has planed this evening for a while.

William has touched her hands all evening and her knee in the car. His fingers tracing small circles on her knee sending shivers up her spine.

William takes her coat off her shoulders and removes his own. "This is a lovely home Emma but not so lovely as you."

M moves to walk into the room when William moves towards her and captures her and leans down to kiss her.

M shudders in surprise at first bit softens towards him, enjoying the feeling of strong arms around her and his lips on hers. William pulls her to him closer and intensifies the kiss when they hear a noise and M breaks away from him.

They look over into the darkened front room to see a very shocked James Bond standing in the corner by the window.

M looks at him with surprise and steps to turn on the lights.

"James?"

William looks perplexed but walks forward extending his hand towards Bond.

Bond does not look amused but shakes the man's hand. Who the hell is this...man with his...M!

"Good evening, you must be Emma's son. I am William Mallory."

Bond looks at M who's shocked by Mallory's assumption but makes no effort to correct the man.

"Yes, I just came to London and wanted to surprise you mum." Bond wraps M in a big hug and kisses her...just a little too long.

Bond voice is taunt as he looks down at her while still holding her in his arms. "So how long has this been going on?"

"William and I met a month ago."

William laughs. "My son set us up. Trying to get the old man out of his house now and then since I moved to London."

Bond looks at William. "Your son...oh really now...I can honestly say I would never do the same."

Bond would never dream of allowing another man into her life...while he is alive.

M moves out of Bond's embrace and heads to the kitchen. "William, James, coffee or tea?"

"Coffee, I'll get it. You two just go sit down and I will be out in a few minutes. Keep your hands to yourself Mr. Mallory…or else..."

Bond says with a smile that does not meet his eyes. M glares back at him not at all happy with his behaviour.

M escorts Mallory to the sitting room. William is not one to be put off by Bond's warning and places an arm around her and leans over to kiss her again. M pulls away shocked and William frowns.

"We do have time to sneak a kiss before the lad comes back Emma."

M smiles but is too wound up to relax much. She's not happy about Bond being here but she cannot make a scene without revealing that he is not her son. That would be difficult to explain to William.

What the hell was he doing here anyway! Last she heard he was due back on Monday. "I know but.."

"No buts my dear. Your son has to understand by his age that you're entitled to a life and romance after all his father has been gone over a year now. At our age we have to seize life while we still have it."

William leaned in again and kissed her. M momentarily forgets the agent with a licence to kill in the kitchen making coffee. The kiss is illicitly exciting and she moves into him.

Suddenly, M hears a throat clear loudly and Bond's standing there with a tray off coffee and cups. Bond aims a look like thunder at them cuddled on the sofa.

"Well, well... someone doesn't have his hearing aid turned up enough to have heard my warning about hands and their placement on my…M...MUM."

William laughs and moves away but the twinkle in he eyes remains as he winks at M.

M gets up and serves the coffee as Bond takes the opportunity to take her place on the sofa forcing M to sit across from them in the chair.

"So, still protecting your mum. I admire that but she's entitled to a life after your father, young man."

"I know she is…I am here to make sure it's with the right man and that she doesn't get hurt."

"I would never hurt your dear mother. Emma is the most incredibly beautiful and sexy woman I have met in years."

Bond cannot fault the man, M is exactly that and he has been an idiot to assume others would not take advantage of her widow status eventually.

The mission ended early thank god...or this could be very messy indeed. Mallory's father would mysteriously end up dead and floating in the river in his current mood.

They drink in relative silence and then William gets up to leave, knowing his plans for staying the night have changed, because of the arrival of James.

"Tomorrow is Saturday, I would like to take the two of you to dinner to get to know James better and prove to the suspicious lad that hurting you my dear is the last thing I want to do…"

M looks shocked and looks to Bond. "I don't know if James is staying…"

"We would love to." Bond speaks up as he stands beside M and wraps an arm around her.

"I want to hear all about what you two have been up to for the last month."

Bond's words are cold and William is aware of Bond's tense and possessive posture.

Best leave the boy for his mother to sort out in private. Too bad though, William had really been looking forward to staying the night.

Unfortunately, M knows Bond well enough to know that he is barely refraining from killing William.

William takes his coat and calls a cab from his mobile. He extends his hand to Bond and shakes it. To prove that he is not intimidated by her son he leans in and gives her a quick kiss on the lips while Bond remains attached to her side.

M's confused by Bond's behaviour why is he acting this way?

The suspicions M had about Bond before his mission resurface in her memory.

M hears a quiet growl catch in Bond's throat when William kisses her.

M feels Bond's arm and hand on her hip tighten and pull her closer to his side.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

William leaves the house and M whirls on Bond. "What the hell was that?"

"I was about to ask you the same thing."

"I'm entitled to a private life Bond."

"You have to call me James now…the man thinks I'm your bloody son."

"Well…James… I couldn't let him think otherwise. There would be too many questions about what I do and why one of my agents knows where I live. Let alone why that agent feels the need to break into my bloody house when he feels like it!"

"Your agent…I am far more than just your agent by now M."

"I like him…is that wrong?"

"No…but I…I thought…"

"You thought what James?"

"I…I...but...why Mallory's bloody father anyway?  What do you know about him?"

"Bond why is this bothering you so much and of course I know about him…my job allows access to information that most people do find rather invasive."

"I don't like him. Is he trying to get you to retire?"

"No and I asked him that on our first date."

Bond clenched his fists and he scowled at her when M mentioned their date.

"Bond talk to me. You avoided my questions about you spending so much time here before the mission and now I demand you tell me... I insist, seeing as you have majorly interrupted my evening."

Bond begins pacing the floor in frustration.

"Mallory complimented your house so I assume this was his first visit.  What were your plans this evening M?  Was he to stay over?  How far has this gone?"

M stands there with her hands on her hips, pissed at Bond's presumptions.

"There was that possibility Bond and it is none of your business if he does.  I don't know who you take to your bed unless you wish to regale me with stories of your extensive list of conquests!"

Bond looks hurt and angry and unsure of himself all at once.  He opens his mouth to continue their argument but stops himself.

Bond takes two large steps towards M and pulls her into a sudden intense kiss.

M's eyes open wide in complete shock.  What the hell!

M pushes James chest but he has her locked in this embrace as if his very existence depends on it.

M turns her head struggling to get air and escapes his lips for a moment. "BOND! LET GO OF ME NOW!"

James steps away looking desperate. "M…I thought you knew…realized…how much...I love you."

M look shocked.  "What are you talking about?"

Bond continues pacing running his hands through his hair.

"Since almost loosing you at Skyfall…I cannot live without you. I don't want you to see anyone else and I stupidly assumed that you would not have the opportunity to find a man as fast as you did. I shouldn't be surprised…your gorgeous…Christ if we stayed any longer in Scotland I would have had to hose Kincade down with ice water to keep him away from you."

M attempts to digest the information he is giving her but is too shocked by his admission of love and that intense kiss.  

Bond is in love with her…utterly absurd… a little thrilling but absurd.

"Did you get hit on the head harder than usual on your mission Bond?"

M is beginning to get defensive and Bond is clearly frustrated.

"No and quit trying to skirt the subject. You heard what I said and I want to know if you feel the same way about me."

"Your insane…you can't possibly…I'm... well…old enough to be your mother."

Bond put his hands on her shoulders and looks directly into her eyes.

"I do not care how old you are, you are the most infuriating bossy, beautiful, intelligent woman I know and I want you...badly."

M starts to move backward towards the chair as she is too shocked to stand any more. Bond sees her start to pale and looks concerned. He pulls her to his body and redirects her to the sofa pulling her across his lap refusing to let her go.

"James I don't know…you should let me go…this is not right."

"M, I have had a thing for you since the day I met you but you had a husband. I know that we are closer than just employee and boss.  We enjoy each others company…I did not want to move too fast with you but you have prompted me by allowing another man into your life.  I may just be an arrogant idiot but I thought you felt the same about me but were scared to make a move."

"Me?  Make a move on you?  That would be beyond inappropriate.  I had no idea…well it crossed my mind that last night before you left but it just seemed the crazy imaginings of my old mind."

M attempts to leave Bond's lap but he is holding her in place not willing to let go.

"Bond, are you going to release me?"  Maybe she should have demanded he release her but she didn't…why...she doesn't... buried deep in her psyche?

"Not until you tell me how you feel about me."

"Bond. I…don't know…this is sudden. I don't know how to define my feelings for you, nor did I ever think I would have to. Did I think you wanted something more from me than friendship?  No...definitely not!"

"What are you afraid of M?  Tell me so I can take those fears away."

"I'm too old, I'm your boss and I may have to send you to your death!"

Bond took her hand and kissed it.  "I have learned as a 00 only to live in the moment."

"This is too sudden James….I can't…I have feelings developing for William, we have a lot in common."

"I go away and another man comes to steal my girl."

  "I didn't know Bond…how could I have known?"

"I had to stop myself from coming here every night to have dinner with you so that no one would find out about my secret relationship with you and you did not even realize we were in one…that's what I get for playing it slow. I should have kissed you passionately the minute we got back from Scotland."

M laughed and still firmly being held in Bond's lap. "Well, I will think about what you have said and we have dinner with William tomorrow and you will act like my son. Do you understand?"

"I will and you will let him down gently or I will tell him I am moving back in with you because I'm worried about you."

"Don't you dare and I like him…I don't really believe you have plans for me to become your lover…let alone stay monogamous, what with all kinds of young beauties around.  Why should I not still see him?"

"M, I'm shocked!. You want me to be your little something on the side…while you continue to date Mallory Sr."

"Bond I am not sure what to do with either of you."

"Well, I know what I want to do with you.  As for other women...what other women...none can hold a candle to you M." Bond winks at her and tilts her chin up to him and kisses her again.

M allowed the kiss to swell. Two men in one evening and Bond the young handsome agent that has done everything possible to save her and keep her safe.

M's eyes close as he deepens the kiss and pulls her closer. She would be lying to say that it wasn't one of the best kisses she's ever had.

The image of that man kissing M angered him more that he thought possible. Bond hopes to stake his claim on her and start a more fulfilling relationship.

Bond pulls her closer and groans into her mouth as the kiss escalates. His hand moves to her blouse and begins opening the buttons. He knows she may pull away at any moment but he is unable to stop himself from trying.

Bond's hand is grazing her breast and it feels so good she doesn't want him to stop but she should stop him…she is encouraging his bad behaviour…

M begins to kiss him back as passionately as he has kissed her and his heart swells. He breaks the kiss and looks into her beautiful eyes. "Tell me…tell me…I need to hear it."

"James…I…I"

"M…M if you're not ready…tell me now….I am want you so much."

M smiles at him and nods her head. "I'm sorry James but it is far too soon for me…I have to think on this…bedding my best agent must be a firing offence."

Bond is exasperated at his lack of ability to seduce the most stubborn, wonderful woman he knows.

"Sod the rules M go with what you want, you have earned it and you know it!"

Bond kisses her passionately and M cups his cheek. Bond starts pressing into the arm of the sofa attempts to move a hand between her legs as he opens her blouse and trails kisses from her neck down to her breasts.

Bond changes tactics and expertly slides his hands around the centre of her back to unclasp her bra.

M stops him panting nearly breathless.

"This has to stop…I can't…damn it…you don't waste any time do you Bond…I'm not ready…stop."

Even to her own ears her protests seem half-hearted.  M is battling her own will to stop this...what ever crazed thing is happening between them.

M wants him, who wouldn't. The man is a fantasy dream come true. M is seriously aroused but must calm down and apply logic to the situation…she is not some hormonal young woman…she should be above this.

Bond stops trailing kisses across her ivory skin. He takes in her flushed face and moves his lips back to hers to attempt to still her objections and change her mind.

Damn it!  James is kissing her again and….all rational thought is leaving her. His hand…oh god his hand his caressing her breast through her bra.

The sudden image of William walking back through her door enters her mind and throws cold water on this situation.

William would be revolted thinking that James is her son.  Witnessing them entwined on the sofa in an incestuous embrace.

An hour before M would have described her part in this relationship as maternal…it was…only an hour ago.

M pushes Bond away and stands up as quickly as she can stepping away from his enticing embrace.

"ENOUGH!"

Bond is panting leaning on her sofa looking up at her pissed that she won't allow herself to enjoy this.

"You gave yourself away M…or do you always kiss your friends that way."

M wants to wipe the smirk off the smug bastard's face while buttoning her blouse.

"Well, it was going to happen even if you were not here…maybe you should count yourself lucky that it's you!"

Bond scowled, his eyes flashing at her jibe.

"So does Mallory need any pharmaceutical help to satisfy a woman such as yourself or do you just make out on the sofa remaining completely unsatisfied?"

"Really Bond, age jokes hardly endear me to you now. Even so he is a fine man..physically and very straight forward."

James shoots daggers at her and stands quickly moving towards her suddenly and pulling her lips back to his own.

M pulls away immediately and slaps his face.

"I said enough…we're finished here. Unless you want to dig yourself into a bigger hole and insult my virtue some more while attempting to steal it for yourself. Typical man…only want something when someone else is playing with it. Or place me on a pedestal in my widowhood wanting nothing more than to defile that virtue, and by pushing me to give it to you, abolishing it….I am neither your angel nor your whore Bond and I never will be. Please leave and I will make my excuses to William tomorrow about why you suddenly had to go to SIBERIA."

Bond was livid and she was pushing all his buttons.

"Really, M now threatening that is really low, what are you scared of old woman?  How many other agents have there been in your bed over the years?  Did you even try to remain faithful to your husband or did you mess about with more that just Silva!  I have to give it too you, I never got it on that Island…his obsession with you…Once he looked at you from his glass cage...I saw the real reason...Silva was your lover and he trashed London and part of Scotland just to kill you for it!"

"I said GET OUT! If you do not leave now you will no longer be needed at work…do you think that your masculine testosterone filled mind can muddle through the simplicity of this command 007?"

The two of them are staring daggers at each other panting through their joint arousal and anger.

Bond wants nothing more than to force her submission but this is M…she can destroy him with a stroke of her pen and with that gaze that she is aiming at him at this moment.

Bond is desperately aroused and saddened all at once. Breathing is still difficult as his heart thumps in his chest...staring down the woman he wants to ravage and throw insults at...until he can find some sort of physical release.

M for her part senses the danger in provoking him but cannot stop crushing him verbally. This entire situation was not expected and yet Bond assumes M would naturally accept him as a lover, without question.

Bond's arrogance knows no bounds. The man beds at least two women per mission and she's the whore for dating a man her own age for a month, not even sleeping with him.

M never strayed from her husband…the man's patience and support raised her children and created a home for her…without him really ever knowing what her job entailed.

"I know that this may be much for a blunt instrument like you to understand Bond but you must leave. You will need to find a conquest elsewhere. Why don't you stop off at the palace and see if her majesty is available for tonight, since it is the challenge of an older, smarter woman you're looking for."

Bond moves into her personal space to intimidate her, make her feel uncomfortable in her own home.  Never…even in his current state of rage would he ever hurt her…he loves her too much.

Christ she makes it tempting…rage sex…even thinking on it makes him throb more intensely.

Through clenched teeth Bond seethes. "I will see you tomorrow Mother…no need to disappoint your lover. Please wear something modest…I wouldn't want you to entice the old fart into a heart attack…Is that what happened to your husband M?  Did the doddering old fool see the way you dress for the agents and ministers at work and send him into a tizzy."

"NEVER SPEAK OF MY HUSBAND AGAIN!" M is so angry she could spit. She points a finger between his ribs and pokes as hard as she can forcing Bond back a step.

"Leave now 007 and do not show up tomorrow! You will arrive promptly for the mission debriefing on Monday and then you will be given the most abhorrent job I can find for you to do for the next month."

"Oh really...are you going to explain my punishment to Tanner, M?  Or do you want me too.  Tanner, I was at M's flat like I normally am and I prevented her from having sexual relations with an old man and now she is punishing me because I kissed her, hard and good…better than she has ever been kissed before."

"Don't flatter yourself Bond…my husband was twice the man you were…hell before him your UNCLE was twice the man you are!"

M never meant that piece of knowledge to ever meet the light of day but she is pissed and has had enough of his juvenile attacks.

"Uncle?…What the hell are you talking about…he died before I was born."

M continued to glare at Bond for his naïvety and presumption.

"Yes…yes he did but it was not before I was born now was it. That particular James Bond was also full of Scottish swagger with more than a casual hint of danger and I was barely 30."

Bond's beyond livid and more than a little confused. "So you have a thing for men named James Bond, do you M?  Was he 007 also?  Can you kiss and tell some more sordid stories from your past."

"Men named James Bond have a thing for me…not I for them…I never slept with that 007 no…but we did go for dinner a few times before James was killed…I could have become your aunt and maybe then this would not just be another Oedipal nightmare like Silva."

Bond grabs her shoulders with his fingers digging violently into her arms.

"I am NOT SILVA!   And not the James Bond from your fantasies apparently…should you ever want to satisfy the need to test me out I will give you the full seduction courtesy of her majesty's secret service training. If you are really nice I may even share a cuddle after and you can imagine I'm my uncle if that gets your motor running."

"If I cry out James in the throes of passion you will never really know if I mean you...now will you...so full of ego and me...an old woman have you trembling to your core...what would Vespa think about this?"

"So now you are entertaining the idea of a good anger fuck M?  Vespa was all the things you are not, tall, slim and so stunning that the room watched her, panting."

"Ha...really Bond... at my age do you think that comparison hurts me...you forgot to add traitor her country in that list...not to mention she was only bedding you until her true love could be found...I was that age once...when the real James Bond was still alive.  Now...get the hell out of here…I don't want to see you in this flat ever again…do I make myself clear 007!"

Bond releases her, instantly sorry for hurting her and pushing this argument through his jealous rage beyond the point of salvaging anything.

Christ...he has destroyed any chance...his heart...it hurts...she has crushed him...her viper like tongue destroying...everything he thought they had.  Will it ever be the same?...he is use to that...use to the loneliness...he will survive...or part of him will...

M took the joy out of his heart from just a little while ago and smashed it.   He still has to work for the bitch!

They stand there staring into each other's eyes both so enraged by the argument that by now neither of them could remember how it evolved from heated foreplay to all out war.

Bond scooped up his jacket and walked to the door. M stood with her arms crossed under her breasts watching his every movement. They shared one last hate filled glare before he opened the door and vanished.

Once it closed, M moves and locks it knowing even as she does that Bond can easily get to her…he knows how to break in.

M may have to move.

The bastard is right in his assumption that she is powerless to discipline him for this behaviour.  This is personal, not work related….she will find a subtle way to punish him as soon as possible.

A month in Siberia will cool his heals. M takes her phone and calls Tanner.

"Mr. Tanner, yes well I've been informed that Bond is back but I think there is something amiss by the tone of our conversation. Have someone follow him for tonight…I want the report for my eyes only. No just for the next 12-18 hours should be fine…email me at home. Goodnight Mr. Tanner."

M then texts William. Sorry for the interruption of our evening, James will not be with us tomorrow…business came up. Luv Emma.

Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned, echoes through her mind as she climbs the stair to her empty bed.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Bond immediately hits an upscale bar and begins to drink. He needs to numb the pain…maybe it will release the tight feeling in his chest.

There are a group of women here for a bachelorette party and they keep glancing over at him.

Bond has never had trouble with the opposite sex before tonight…he can seduce any female that does not matter. The one that does matter is his kryptonite.

Bond raises his glass towards the table of women. He will be going home with one of them if not more this evening. He will whisper M when he finally finds his release.

As it happens he staggers out of the bar and into a taxi with three of them.

These women appreciate his beauty and his body...he divides his attention as equally as he can...a gentleman to the end.

However, there is one that reminds him of the reason he is here tonight. The petite, busty blonde gets the intensity of his focus...he wants her to be someone else...desperately.

James yells Olivia at his release and she doesn't seem to mind...he has been lavishing all three of them with moans of M throughout the couplings.

Sated and exhausted he leaves the blonde's flat two hours later. There's not any room in that bed for the four of them to sleep…he would never have stayed anyway.

Bond arrives home and has a shower…another drink and then bed.

Visions of the evening float in his subconscious and it is M in all her glorious anger…flushed after kissing him with such passion...that is the image he holds as he falls into an unsteady sleep.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

M awakes and showers. She sits in her dressing gown relaxing over breakfast and reading her emails.

Bond took three women to an address….blah de blah good for him...such a virile man...she will offer him her congratulations at their next meeting.

Bond exited the house two hours later and went home…do we need to continue surveillance?

M sends a note to Tanner ending the surveillance on Bond. He behaved just as she predicted he would…booze and….well better than a threesome…a quad some.

M scoffed…over compensating much…and he accuses her of being a woman of loose morals…damn, double standards even in today's society there is a stigma…M wonders if those three women feel cheap and easy after sharing Bond for the evening or just pleasantly well used.

It had felt good in Bond's arm...absurdly good. What the hell did he want her for anyway?  Was it all a ploy to bed the head of the department?

No...Bond was sincere but then they attacked each other but anger came easier for M...easier than facing and accepting the feelings that she has for him.

It will not work. M spewed enough vitriol at the boy to send him into drink and other women.

There is no way she wants a relationship with a man who can regularly go out and bed 3 women at the same time.

M is not the kind of woman who shares.

William is nice and secure...like her husband. They can do things together and calmly slip into even older age.

James Bond...is too beautiful for such an old woman. They could never be together publicly...people would think James was her toy boy...too embarrassing.

James is all excitement and vigour...damn him.

How can M even consider bedding Bond now...she would be merely a curiosity to him. Bond would bore of her and screw other woman and break her heart.

M is going to go out and find the sexiest dress that she can for tonight's dinner. She has to make last night up to William and to herself for missing out on what could have been a very pleasant time.

M wants to see how exciting William can be when given the right motivation.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

William sits with Gareth over breakfast. Gareth begins what has begun as a daily questioning of his father and his relationship advancement with M.

"So you were out late last night. Anything you care to share dad?"

"Well, not as fun as I hoped it would be…I met her son James last night. James was waiting for us when we arrived...I gave him quiet a shock kissing his mother as we entered the house. He was a bit put out to see his mother kissing a strange man. It always amazes me how overprotective men of all ages are towards their mothers"

Gareth frowns and looks into his coffee mug. M does not have a son named James…he's positive.

Could it be…no…James Bond…at her house?

Gareth knew that the two were close…especially after Skyfall but to let himself into her home…

"Are you seeing Em again dad?"

"I invited her to dinner with her son…do you want to come too?"

"It might be nice…to meet her son. I told you she was a great woman, somehow I knew you would like her."

"That I do…she is an incredible lady…I might not have made it home last night, had her son not arrived." William nudged his son with his elbow as he said this.

Gareth smiled. Tonight could be very interesting indeed.

William went out for a walk and sat on a bench planning on texting Emma to tell her of the change. The blasted mobile was out of batteries…it will be a surprize then.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

James awoke with a slight hang over. He has nothing to do today so he gets some water, takes some pills and goes back to bed until 14:00.

Bond lingers in bed thinking about last evening…and not just the sex with three young women.

M would be going out with Mallory's father again tonight.

Bond pictured a nice cozy private dinner that they would have now that M forbade him from attending. Wine, nice food, romantic atmosphere and then back to M's place for…

SHIT! DAMN! Why can't he stop thinking about this…Mallory's hands on her…the way she yielded to Mallory's kiss in the door way…the taste of her mouth when he kissed her…her breasts...christ in a sea of silicone M has the most incredible breasts that nature can provide.

Bond had alway preferred natural flesh to augmented bony women trying to be something they were not. There is a softness in the flesh of a healthy woman, that is more arousing to him than the muscle, plastic and silicone of the easily photographed.

Argh…Bond is becoming aroused…he can't help it. He heads into the shower.

There is not a chance in hell that M is going to have a romantic evening with another man...not while he draws breath.

M is going to kick his ass anyway he might as well do something to break up M's relationship as well as he fucked up theirs.

Bond knows it's petty but if he can't have M…NO ONE CAN.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

M's dress is gorgeous. Even the sales ladies remarked how the dark navy brought out her eyes. Plunging V-neck bodice with a sheer shimmering overlay that gathers just under her breasts. Half sleeves and a skirt that drops to her calf.

William is due at 18:00 and M is ready with a drink in hand to wait for him. The bell rings and she opens the door for him.

William's dressed smartly in a grey suit and green tie.

The man is speechless when he sees her.

William is suddenly shaken to his core and on impulse pulls M to him in the entrance way and kisses her passionately.

M's shocked but chuckles into his mouth during the kiss. They break apart and M sees such a look of want on his face that it leaves her a bit weak in the knees.

"I take it you like the dress, William?"

"Yes…yes…I am mad that we have to take the boys out for dinner with you looking like this…I would eat canned soup and toast if we could stay here right now and have an early night. Upstairs in your room, incase I was being too subtle for you my dear."

M laughs a very sexy laugh with a twinkle in her eye. "What do you mean boys?"

"I asked Gareth to come with us since James is coming along."

M visibly pales. "Gareth? I texted you that James could not come…did you not get it?"

"Blasted batteries…I can send my lad home and we can have the evening to ourselves."

M hands William a drink. "Is Gareth in the car?"

"No, he is meeting us at the place…christ woman that dress makes you look 30 years younger, I will call him and cancel."

Bond walks into the room from the back of the house "Cancel what?"

M whips around. "James!"

James closes in on her to give her a lingering kiss on the cheek.

"Mum…you look….amazing are we going somewhere fancy enough for this dress Mr. Mallory?"

"That we are, young man and you can meet my son Gareth at the same time."

M looks about to faint and Bond curses himself. If he had just followed them to the restaurant instead he could have avoided Gareth Mallory.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

James has been in the house for the last 20 minutes and watched M come downstairs and get a drink in the…the sexiest dress he thinks he has ever seen. He is frozen in time watching her move about the room unaware that he's even there.

M is beautiful and graceful...his heart pounds in his chest occasionally missing a beat in his desire for her. James can smell her perfume from where he is hidden and it succeeds in arousing him further.

Christ she was going to sleep with him tonight…that is what that dress is all about, seduction.

James is sweating in his suit barely breathing as he decides to approach her and beg for forgiveness.

The door bell rang, James is too late.

William grabbed her as soon as he saw her…Bond almost pulled out his gun when he did.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Mum, you'll have to beat the men off with a stick in that dress…or I will have too."

M smiled and acted like everything is fine. A bloody assassin in her living room taunting her with veiled threats to her suitor.

Christ, how will Gareth react…sentimental about him…rings in her ears. Bond is messing with her career now…not just her soon to be non-existent social life.

William will not understand the situation once he knows Bond is her agent not son.

M is going to have Bond sent away for a year.

Is Bond becoming unhinged like Silva?

Should M have Bond put down? There is no doubt in M's mind that Bond has just crossed a line between them and he's dangerous.

Bond gathers M's coat and helps her into it, caressing her neck with his fingers and sending jolts of electricity though her body.

Damn him!

The three head to the awaiting car that Gareth supplied for the evening. M sits in the back seat between her two would be lovers.

"James I thought you were too busy to come tonight…to tired out from last night's exertions."

M wants him to know that she had him followed and knows exactly what he did last night.

"Mum, you know how resilient I am…a night like that was just the result of events earlier in the evening…it means little to me now."

William looks at Bond. "What were you up to James?"

"I had a fight no...a conversation with an old lover of mine...then I went out and got stinking drunk."

"I remember relationships like that in my in my younger days. Women are cruel sometimes…stomp on a man's heart."

"This one did just that Mallory."

"Call me William."

"As long as I never have to call you dad…everything will be just fine William."

"At your age I would never expect you too."

M shoots daggers at Bond willing this evening over. Bond is going to regret this... she will curse him with everything she has at her disposal. Monday cannot come soon enough to enact her revenge.

"Where do you live James?"

"Scotland but my ex literally destroyed the house with one of her former lovers, therefore I'm forced to move back to mum's house in London."

"She sounds a right nasty woman…good riddance, eh?"

"To be completely honest I would move heaven and earth for the woman…still…I've got it bad for her but she dislikes the age difference. She is a lot older than I…mum does not approve. What do you think of a man like me with an older woman?"

"I always say the heart should decide not a number on a calendar…look at your mother here…she looks a good 30 years younger than her age and young men look at her every time she enters a room…she could easily be with a man much younger than I. It makes a man proud to have her on his arm."

M closes her eyes, she's developing one hell of a head ache. When will this farce end? As soon as the younger Mallory arrives, her job will soon be over...forced retirement for screwing an employee, even if she didn't.

Not to mentions making a cuckold of Mallory's father. Men never handle things like this well...just look at Bond's behaviour.

It is fine for M to know about James' olympic sexcapades last night but should William kiss her you would swear the earth was coming to an end for Bond.

Bond nods his head in agreement with Mallory. "I know...My mother has always been able to turn heads…she has led me to many a brutal fight over the years, protecting her and her honour."

"Surely you don't need to do that at this stage in life James. Your mother is a single woman with needs of her own. I don't see her as a shrinking violet. Emma can handle her own, from what I've seen."

M feels the need to interject. "How much further, I'm famished and could use a good drink about now."

The car pulls up to the curb and they climb out. James helps M out of the car and they wait for Mallory to climb out.

Bond whispers to M. "The old man will need pharmaceuticals…definitely…not up to speed."

M whispers back at the bastard for his cheek. "James you would be surprised on what is possible when I motivate a man."

M smiles and reaches out for William's arm to enter the restaurant.

Bond walks behind them, breathing heavily from what she just said to him...bitch!

Does she understand how unravelled she makes him? Of course she does...she excels at it...winding him up until he nearly explodes.

M is playing with fire. Bond could kill the man in seconds and make it look like he choked on his lamb. Not even his son would be the wiser.

Gareth Mallory looks on as Bond follows his father and M into the room. He frowns for a moment and then schools his face into a smile for his father's sake.

William removes M's coat and Gareth's mouth drops open. He always knew M was a handsome woman but…wow…does not do justice to the woman in that dress.

The room is decidedly more quiet as the patrons gaze at the stunning mature woman accompanied by three handsome men.

During the meal Mallory Sr. touches M and she touches him as much as possible. Bond is unable to react but is viably upset for anyone with eyes to see.

A sheen of sweat appears on his brow as William's hand disappears from view and rests comfortably on one of M's knees.

Mallory feels the night is going well. He is protecting his father from the truth and says nothing to Bond and M until William excuses himself for the gents.

"What is going on here?"

James speaks up first to take the blame on his shoulders. "I was at M's house the last night when he escorted her home. Your father assumed I was her son…It seemed the best to play along."

"I see…M, does Bond make regular visits to your home?"

"Yes, since Skyfall, he has come over a couple of days a week just to make sure I am all right…nothing more."

"This is not something that I care to discuss with my father but if he asks I will not lie to him. M this is not appropriate behaviour."

"I know exactly how it looks Mallory and It will not happen again. I have set Bond straight and he will not be seeing me outside the office from this time forward. Our relationship is purely professional from this point on."

Bond looks at Mallory. "I only wanted to make sure the boss was safe…no alterior motives or preferential treatment given."

"I will have to trust you on this M."

"Really Mallory, what the hell would Bond want with a woman old enough to be his mother?"

"M the way you look tonight…your age does not even come to mind."

M blushes at his compliment and Mallory notices the scowl on Bond's face.

Bond's lying…he is smitten with her.

Mallory damn well would be too if there wasn't a bloody line of men ahead of him. One of those men being his father.

Mallory doubts that the image of her in that dress will leave him soon. Christ it draw the eyes to her ample bosom...he is finding it difficult to look away.

Mallory has never seen his father so pleased. His face is flushed with excitement...who can blame him. M is the most beautiful woman in the restaurant.

They have to play along with this farce and his father will have to come home with him and not having the pleasure of seeing M home...in that dress...the image of his father being the lucky one that may get to help her out of that dress...argghhh.

Christ...Mallory is becoming jealous of his father over a woman old enough to be his mother...there is just something about her...it drives one to distraction...Bond is in the same boat...caught between propriety and desire.

Of the two of them Bond has it worse...Mallory can see the sweat on his brow from across the table.

William notices the tension at the table when he returns and makes a joke to ease whatever has gone on.

The dinner comes to a close and they say their goodbyes as two cars come to take them home.

M does not speak or even look at Bond.

Bond stares at the side of her face the entire drive, willing her to turn to look at him. Bond screwed this up and now she hates him. She is so beautiful tonight that it physically hurts him being this close to her.

Christ...Bond wants to touch her, hold her...M will never allow him to now. Bond has to find a way to fix this or he will go mad.

How can Bond make her love him as much as he loves her?

If he follows M into her flat and pushes her up against the door and kisses her soundly...could she resist him...would she submit?

Bond needs her permission...needs M's acceptance not her malice and that is all she is willing to give him now.

The sick and twisted part is that M's malice turns him on so badly that it will take another three women tonight to quench his desire.

Last night...M responded to him...he can't get the image out of his mind and never will.

At first M said she would think about it. Now all she is thinking about is how to punish him...

They exit the car and he moves to follow her to the door. M looks back at him with a look so full of anger and disappointment that he hold his hands up in surrender, as he backs away.

"Monday morning, my office 09:00, if you are one minute late you're fired."

M turns and enters her flat slamming the door and locking it.

Bond stands there staring at the door. He turns and heads towards a bar for a stiff drink or five.

Bond needs booze and strange women to try to forget how M looked in that blue dress.


	5. Chaper 5

Chapter 5

Sunday morning M gets up and gets ready for her day. She reads the paper and checks work from her laptop. The anger of the last two days has settled into a numbness.

Bond's debrief is tomorrow and her anger has dissipated. Maybe she was too hard on him. Bond has always been able to crawl under her skin faster than any man she has ever known.

M remembers Skyfall and the aftermath. Remembers the look on his face as he held her dying. Damn it!

Bond loves her and she pushes him away…pride, rage and insecurity force her to push him away.

What the hell am I going to do now?

Mallory cannot compete with Bond physically but she likes the man. William will not leave her for another woman as fast a Bond will.

The door bell rings. M answers to a delivery man with flowers. M thanks the man and brings them in the house. M lies them on the kitchen counter to get a vase and the doorbell rings again.

M walks back to the door in confusion to see another delivery man with more flowers. M answers the door and accepts another bouquet.

The first bunch of flowers is from William. A collection of spring flowers that smell lovely. The card says For the most lovely lady I know.

M takes the next bouquet and opens the package. Roses the flower of love.

The card reads. I have been an ass. I love you more than words can express, please forgive my cheek.

Bond is lucky that M has time relax and have a day to think on things. It may just temper her anger with him for their meeting tomorrow.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

William and Gareth Mallory sit and enjoy their Sunday morning breakfast.

"Emma was in fine form last night wasn't she son?"

"I can honestly say she has never been more attractive, dad."

"I know, Emma was stunning. The room went silent when she entered. I think highly of her my boy and I am thankful that you stuck your nose in and made me meet her."

"I think you two are good together and you are a lucky man. Never truly understood how lovely M was until last night."

"What do you make of Emma's son James, Gareth?"

"What do you mean?"

"Ahhh…I see. I thought something odd was going on last night. You know him don't you?"

"Yes I do. James works in the service also."

"James said he lived in Scotland? He did seem strangely protective of Emma. Gareth…I want the truth. Is James Emma's son?"

"No dad he is not…he works for her."

"WHAT!"

"Bond has taken it on himself to be Emma's personal protector and had just returned from a mission when you saw him at her house. They explained it to me when you went to the gents last night."

"So that was why there was so much discomfort when I returned. That man…Bond, he loves her doesn't he?"

"I think the two of them have been through a lot over the years and recently she almost died in his arms."

"Damn it! All this secrecy I don't think I can compete with a young man like him."

"Dad I think M is fond of you, don't forget that."

"I want to meet with the both of them and get to the bottom of this Gareth. Can you arrange it? I don't want to waste what time I have left in this life chasing a woman I have no hope of catching."

"I can take you tomorrow. I will message M's chief of staff, now to book an appointment."

"Is her name even Emma?"

"No, dad her name is the letter M it is the title given to the head of MI6, please keep that under your hat."

"It is not like I have not heard you mention 6 while talking on the phone son. I knew by the body guards and driver that she was someone high up in the service, to need that kind of protection."

"I hope you two can work this out dad. M informed me that there is nothing untoward going on between them. Bond is just a little overprotective and she does not think he could be interested in a woman old enough to be his mother."

"Huh…like that matters! The woman is gorgeous, smart and has the sexiest laugh…the lad more than admitted in the car that he was in love with an older woman, when he was pretending to be her son…he damn well threatened me for touching her…I guess I have to take that seriously now that I know what he does."

"Settle down dad. We will get M to settle all of this tomorrow and we can all get on with our lives."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Monday morning came and Bond rose at 5 and went to work to use the gym. After showering he ran into Q and Tanner.

Tanner stopped him in his tracks. "What have you been getting yourself up to Bond? M is already on the warpath and it's barely 7:30. There is a clinic in medical that we are all to attend for our yearly flu shot. I assume you will avoid that as long as possible."

"Yes, I will….I may not need it if the evil queen of numbers has her way with me today. See you at 9 Tanner. I will be seeing you, Q for some gear after the evil queen arranges for my transport to Siberia."

Bond walks to the cafeteria leaving the two men shocked by his crispy behaviour.

M arrived at 7 giving her two hours to ponder Bond's punishment and next mission. It was beginning to feel too petty.

There is a two-week assignment to Morocco that might fit. It has absolutely no women anywhere…maybe that will be punishment enough.

M has never put too much planning into her wardrobe choices from day-to-day. A suit is a suit but she has chosen a navy one today that enhances her curves. The skirt is shorter than she normally wares and is offset by a pair of heeled boots.

Eve Moneypenny compliments her appearance and brings her some paperwork. "There are the staff flu inoculations today ma'am and Mr. Mallory has scheduled an appointment at 10:30 after the debrief from Bond's mission. Can I get you anything…coffee?"

"Not yet… I would like one when Bond arrives."

MI6 is still in its bunker site and M still feels cramped and on display in her glass box of an office. M is pondering the visit from Mallory…it can't be good. M hopes the discussion is not about Bond.

If it is about William…what will she say. M has spent the last 24 hrs. analyzing her feelings for the man. To be honest with herself she would be settling for William and she is not the type of woman who settles.

Bond is hers he always has been. In a very subtle way M knew that the moment she gave him what he wanted. The day she made him a 00.

What to do with him? M needed to put him in his place for his arrogance. M is too old and set in her ways to become submissive to anyone now.

The relationship…if she allows one, would have to be secret and that shouldn't be too hard for two spies to carry out. However, Mallory is suspicious now and if she angers him by dropping his father…well that will make him an enemy.

M smiles to herself as she sifts through paperwork. Maybe she could have them both…M can feel herself flush at the thought. Really at her age…she would have to keep Bond from killing William in a jealous rage but it could work if Bond remains her secret.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Bond decides to eat before heading up to get his ass handed to him by M. Christ he hopes the flowers tempered her anger.

Tanner enters the lounge and joins him. "Ready for the briefing?"

Bond nods. "Though I would go up early just to get it over with."

"This is a change Bond…early? M will appreciate that I'm sure. It will give her more time to get ready for meeting Mallory and I have to make her go to medical at some point today."

"Mallory…what is he coming for?"

"Don't really know but he is bringing a visitor with him…I have to go meet him at the entrance."

Bond nods but adds nothing, knowing who is coming…M's man William.

Bond and Tanner head up to the office. Moneypenny waves down at them from the glass office. Bond hates the office…it makes him feeling like being in a fish bowl on a pedestal.

M gets up from behind her desk and takes her paperwork to the desk in the corner at the entrance. M nods at Tanner as he enters the room.

Surprisingly Bond is with him. Bond takes in her presence near him the second he enters the office.

"Ma'am, you're looking...well today."

M looks incredibly sexy and if Tanner wasn't there...

"Thank you Bond. I feel well even if they are trying to usher off to medical for unnecessary shots."

M walks back behind her desk and Bond watches her move with an involuntary raising of his heart rate. M looks and she smells wonderful. Bond has always loved the scent of her perfume.

Bond eases into the seat beside Tanner as Moneypenny enters with some coffee for the three of them.

The briefing ends with all the details discussed and questioned by M and Tanner.

Bond watches M with an intensity that borders on the inappropriate. Bond can't believe she cannot see what she does to him on so many levels. There is no way she can ignore the pointed looks he gives her now they kissed passionately two nights ago.

"Bond your next mission is here and will be two weeks in Morocco, surveillance."

M slides the file across the desk and he picks it up brushing her fingers as he does. "Morocco? Things are looking up."

M glares at him. "Go get your things from Q and don't screw this mission up by dismissing it as beneath you."

Tanner gets up to go meet Mallory and his guest leaving Bond alone with M.

"Thank you for the peace-offering."

"I am sorry. I know I usually am a man of a few words and now you know why. My mouth always gets me into trouble."

"I know that…I was…cruel I never ever intended you to know that I dated your uncle years ago."

"I have thought of little else…was he a good agent?"

"Yes, very and it never went beyond a few meals."

"Did you kiss?"

M frowns at him. "I don't wish to discuss this further and it is improper for you to ask but the answer is yes."

Now it is Bonds turn to frown. "It is all in the past…the future is what matters. Are we... going to be... OK?"

"I don't know Bond. Can you let this…whatever you think this is go?"

"No…I can't…I will not stop trying M…It means too much. I am deadly serious M...I would give up everything for you and have...you know that though don't you? M in all honesty you must have realized before Friday that I love you."

M sighs and shakes her head. " Bond...I...don't understand this and I need time."

Bond smiles a devastating smile at M. "You will have two weeks."

M allows herself to smile back at him. The anger of the weekend settles like the dust on the old stone floors.

Bond turns to leave for Q branch but M stops him.

"Bond…my home is off-limits. Call…I cannot take any more surprise visits."

"All I can ask is that you think about us…for the next two weeks? OH...and if you could keep William's hands off you for the next two weeks I would be eternally grateful."

M starts to get defensive and scowls at Bond. "That is none of your business Bond…is that clear?"

"Would you at least return that bloody dress."

M looks shocked. "Whatever for?"

"It is like a nuclear missile it leaves devastation in its wake."

"I never saw any devastation Bond and I went home alone if you remember…you made sure of that."

"Well, you choose to ignore a lot of male admiration from the other night ma'am. Mallory Jr. was salivating over you as much as his old man. The entire restaurant was a flame for you."

"Bond...really."

"Why do you not see it? Did your husband not tell you every single day how beautiful you are or was he blind?"

M merely snorts and shakes her head at him.

Bond wants to wrap her in a hug but knows that he can't. At least they aren't trying to kill each other. He cannot stand the thought that M's pissed at him…it may take him ages to get M back to feeling comfortable with him again.

Bond gives her a final wink and leaves to see Q.

Bond walks down the stairs and towards the lift. As he does he sees the two Mallory men and Tanner heading towards M's office.

Tanner escorts the two men to M's office. M asks him to go to Q branch and oversee Bond's tactical equipment with Q. Tanner knows he is there just to remind Bond to return everything and get to medical next.

William's amazed, seeing M in her element for the first time. It looks good on her but then everything does. Her power suit is enough to distract but he is here for answers.

"I asked Gareth to bring me here because I would like to have some answers. I know that James, is not your son. The hints were there and I want to know if there is any reason for us to continue seeing each other."

"Well…I don't really approve of being ambushed at work but I do not see any reason we cannot see each other socially."

"That man is obviously more to you and you are his boss so don't talk to me about impropriety. I thought we meant something to each other?"

M is getting defensive. "How is it obvious…because I did not know of his feelings until Friday so I fail to see how you were clairvoyant enough to grasp Bond's intent."

Gareth Mallory sits uncomfortably listening to his father goad M into some sort of apology for her action. William could be a bully sometimes but he does not think M will cave on this one.

"Ok, dad that is enough. I want you to calm down. M could you ask Moneypenny to come get the old bull and take him for a coffee? Then we can have a meeting and cooler heads will prevail."

"Alright."

Moneypenny comes in and escorts a grumpy Mr Mallory to the canteen.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Q branch was half empty when Tanner and Bond arrived. Q directed Bond to his pack and suddenly hears a scream.

The three men look up to see a woman in a lab coat stagger into Q branch holding her bloody arm.

Q runs to her. "What happened? Why are you not heading to medical?"

The pale woman begins to shake in shock. "It started in medical…they are fast and attacking."

Bond looks at her. "Who is attacking?"

"Everyone…guards, accountants, nurses….I just went to get my shot."

Tanner looks nervous and a man crashed into the room. The guard has a glazed look on his face and staggers towards them.

Tanner yells "STOP!"

Bond grabs his gun and aims it at the uncoordinated lout as he moves towards the injured woman who is cowering on the floor.

The man ignores Tanner and grabs the woman suddenly clamping his mouth down on her neck biting a chunk out as the girl screams.

Q, Tanner and Bond are so shocked by what they are witnessing, that they are momentarily frozen.

Bond shoots the man in the leg to stop him but it doesn't even phase him.

Q screams at him. "Shoot the head…the head."

Bond does and the man falls. A woman and man burst through the door that was still ajar.

"What the hell!"

Tanner and Q retreat and Bond yells. "Stop or I'll shoot! Tanner, Q get weapons! Q lock this place down NOW!"

The zombified MI6 employees attack the injured woman on the floor as Tanner grabs a gun. Bond shoots the two of them and runs to slam the door closed.

Q uses his laptop and initiates lockdown. Sirens blare as the door locks.

Bond starts barking orders at a visibly shaken Q. Tanner looks pale and worried.

"Lock everything down! Call M tell her to stay locked in her glass cage until I can get to her. I repeat TELL M NOT TO MOVE AND LOCK DOWN HER OFFICE NOW!"

Q did as told and Tanner moved to the girl on the floor. The poor thing had bled out.

"What the hell is happening here? She said it began in medical."

Bond stood beside Tanner looking down on the girl and she suddenly moved. Opaque eyes opened suddenly as she gurgled at them.

Tanner jumped back and Bond put a bullet in her brain.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning....I morphed this to include Zombies. 
> 
> I hope you enjoy and thanks for reading. :)

Chapter 6

MI6—Now with 80% more Zombies!

"Q, get the centre for disease control notified and the army…nothing should leave the bunker. Tanner, the troops tell them to check the way Silva got out of here also. Can we patch in to make announcements?"

"No, we will have to coordinate by phone. I will try but will they listen to me? I think we need M."

Tanner is already dialing M and has her on the line. "M are you alright? Stay in your office and stay down until Bond can get to you. Started in medical…they are bloody zombies…we saw one come back to life. Bond killed them….shot to the head. Can you notify army and CDC to contain the building on your authorization?…..Create a safe word….mass email…yes I will get Q on it right now…."

Bond grabs the phone from his hand. "M…M do you have a gun?…A shot or blow to the head if they get through…do NOT leave your office….he is?….Let me talk to him….Mallory are you armed? A shot to the head takes them out….protect her with your life….or else! I will get there as soon as I can. No…I haven't seen him….with Eve? I will look for them on my way to you. We need to contain this mess ASAP!"

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

M hears the sirens and moves towards the door but it's locked. She looks back at Mallory with a confused look.

A guard comes towards the door and looks at her through the glass with a vacant expression. He presses against the glass moaning and clawing his hands against the glass.

M's phone rings. "Tanner what the hell is going on…What? Is this some sort of joke? No…I will call and email right away…James! No…I would be useless with one anyway remember Skyfall. My god…yes…ok…here is Mallory."

M hands the phone to Mallory and types out a mass email and text to any employees that may not be infected to stay put. The safe word is queen to prove your not infected. M emails the PM and grabs another line to call disease control and the army.

M hears Mallory speaking to James as he looks at her. "No I don't have a gun...yes I will look after her...Bond have you seen my father?  He left here with Eve...headed for coffee...I will help all I can."

Mallory and M busy themselves with making calls and trying not to notice a crowd of infected people pressing up against the glass of her office. Mallory starts removing all the items off her desk and Tanner's.

M looks at him confused as he drags Tanner's desk over to hers and tips it on its side forcing them to the far corner of the room. M moves aside as he does the same to hers. Placing her laptop and phones behind the barricade.

Mallory lifts her desk on top of Tanner and throws coats on the floor. Then he pulls M down beside him behind the desks hiding them from the view of the infected MI6 employees.

M asks Mallory to handle calls to the PM so she can support connection within MI6. The two of them sit uncomfortably on the floor of her office behind the desks. As the phone chaos ends momentarily Mallory grabs M's hand and look in her worried eyes.

"This will end and we will manage...don't worry too much."

M gives him a wane smile and squeezes his hand.

M is far more worried than she lets on. What will they do if anything escapes the confines of the bunker. The army and PM have not had any other incidents of outbreak reported but the nation's SIS and military are now on high alert.

M sees an email already requesting information from the CIA because of troop movements within London and the rest of Britain.

The PM has asked that her Majesty and family be flown to Scotland for the time being. Contingency plans to vacate the government to Scotland are also in the works. Pandemic preparedness plans started by all levels of government.

Mallory scans the office for anything else they can use as a weapon. M's letter opener is the closest thing…he hopes the barricade will hold if they break through.

Mallory and M busy themselves with trying to stay in contact with others and not worry about where his father and Eve are. M handles pressure like the professional that she is. Mallory continues to be impressed by her.

Christ he hopes they can get out of this alive...if they don't it mean the infection may spread and all of this Island nation is at risk.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Eve and William are in the lift when it stops. Eve calls to Q branch….something is wrong. Q answers and tells her to stay put and not open the door until they get to them.

Eve's phone buzzes and it is a message from M….ZOMBIES! WTF….Eve messages M to tell her and Mallory where they are.

M looks a Mallory and breathes a sigh of relief. "William and Eve are fine….trapped in the lift."

Mallory smiles. "Thank god for that! The PM wants updates continuously, and the army is surrounding the buildings exits."

"Disease control wants a body…a sample." M whispers to Mallory as she holds the phone away from her head. "Yes…yes I will have my best agent on it…do not I repeat do not shoot the agents that are dragging the body. Those that are infected have slow movements and glazed eyes….they also lack the ability to speak….the safe word is queen."

M ends her first call and calls Bond.

"Bond, decease control wants a body of one of the creatures at exit 2 ASAP for testing. Can you do this….no I'm fine…no Bond I am not the priority now…this is more important….yes there are at least 6 outside the office….we are hiding behind a barricade of desks that Mallory made. Eve is safe for now…leave them there. Yes if you find anyone take them with you and get them out of here…quarentined…yes we will all be in the same boat. Can Q open the doors while travelling with you and Tanner. Take extra weapons to hand to anyone healthy. Bond…good luck...I will see you soon."

Bond answers his phone. "Really…I will come get you out first. You are more important! Are there any near your office? Get behind something. What about William? Eve says they're trapped in the lift. Q has gotten messages from some barricaded in medical. They may have our answers. Tanner, Q and I will go get them and deliver the goods to exit 2. Stay safe M. I will be there as soon as I can."

"Ok we have to gather some extra arms and Q Tanner and I will protect you as you open sections up to us. We need to start in medical. Let's try to avoid the infected as much as possible but do not risk your life. Shoot if you have too."

Tanner and Q look at each other nervously. "We're ready."

The three men burst through the door and avoid a swipe from one zombie as they run down the hall towards the stairs. Q is sandwiched between Tanner and Bond as he holds his laptop open and quickly types with one hand.

They bolt down the hall to the stair well as the creatures start to follow them. Q uses his computer to open the door to the stairs and Tanner opens with it in a flurry knocking a zombie trapped behind it.

The creature lies on the ground and the men jog up the stairs before it can get up again. Medical is on the second level of the underground complex MI6 has inhabited since the Silva incident.

M's office is on the first. Q informs Bond as they run that Eve and William Mallory are trapped between those two floors.

Bond really wants to head right to M but she gave him this mission and he is going to save as many MI6 employees as he can...for her...it is always for her.

If Bond had it his way he would run to save the girl get her out and then go back to destroy everything in this horrid old bunker.

Things have gone to complete shit since they moved six to this bloody place. It was made to protect the government from external bombings but what the hell were they going to do if they need to destroy the bunker...leave a bloody big hole in London...

There is a crowd in the halls around medical and there is screaming within. Bond assesses the situation and ducks back around the corner with Tanner and Q.

"I will distract them and lead them away you two get in to medical and get to the survivors. Tanner if there are any infected beyond the outer door you may have to shoot them….if there is no other choice...you have to make that choice to save those you can. I will do a quick lead away and double back to get you."

Tanner squeezes his gun a little tighter as he and Q ready themselves.

Bond has a gun for each hand and suddenly runs down the hall screaming, right into a mass of Zombified people.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

William and Eve are sitting on the floor of the warm lift trying not to allow the close confines to bother them. Eve considers the alternative, running and hiding from Zombies less appetizing.

"I hope that this is not as bad as it seems Mr. Mallory."

"Well the day is going from bad to much worse as far as I'm concerned young lady."

"Why, what happened?"

"I don't know if I can tell you….to hell with it…I don't answer to her. As you know I have dated your M, my Emma or so I thought for the last month. Two nights ago we decided…well I went back to her place for a romantic evening….after dinner if you catch my meaning."

Eve blushed and replied. "Oh…I know what you are implying Mr. Mallory. I never guessed she was seeing anyone serious….I knew you went out that first day but…her demeanour at work never changes…well there are levels of anger and intent at times but she is always professional."

"Yes…outwardly she would seem that way but she has been in a relationship for years that no one here would understand….I don't think I understand it but it makes my blood boil!"

"What!... Mr. Mallory until last year M had a husband and I think quite happily for a woman in her type of high stress job."

"Ah but she' been having an affair for years, young lady. An intense affair of the heart and mind,…not of the body. You young people never consider the nonphysical as cheating but the older you get you will understand...It is completely possible to be involved in a subtle intellectual relationship that is more intense than any tumble beneath the sheets."

Moneypenny's shocked by Mr. Mallory's accusations. "M has had an affair of the mind so to speak for years?... Who?...NO...NO, WAY!"

"You see Miss Moneypenny…you know who it is don't you…don't deny it! It's bloody obvious once you think about it isn't it?"

"Yes…maybe it was there for all to see, but still?"

"Still what…she loves him even if she has denied it to herself for years. M acted like it was all a goddamn surprise to her too. The man was standing in her front window waiting for her to get home at 10 pm…well I stupidly assumed that he was her son and invited him to dinner with us Saturday night. Gareth knew him as soon as we entered the restaurant and that is when I clued in that something was not right. He is far too acquainted with her flat for it to have been the first time. I feel a right fool for not seeing the intense way he was looking at us. He threatened me for touching her and put his arm around her as I left her flat!...He claimed her as his...regardless of the age difference, it's entirely Oedipal."

"REALLY! Wow! We're talking about James right?"

"Yes…Bond unless you know of another that has followed her around trying to spend as much time as possible with her."

"Not unless you include your son in that, then no."

"Gareth? He was just trying... to set us up…he…damn it!... Is he all puppy like around her too?... I'll box his ears! Why on earth would he set us up?... Unless...it was the only way he thought to get M around him more."

"Maybe he could not define what he felt and it's merely an affair of his mind. I don't think he would ever act on those subconscious feelings Mr. Mallory…he is your son…he...just wouldn't.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The sound of the zombies mashing against the glass walls of her office is unnerving.

M is glad that Gareth made the desk barrier for them to hide behind. Even if it was tight quarters. Finding a comfortable way of sitting on a stone floor is difficult.

The only solution was to lie on the coats on the floor like two girlfriends talking about boys and texting propped up on their elbows. It was a very intimate position, for two that did not know each other that well.

M has grudgingly developed respect for Mallory since he took a bullet for her in that trial by fire that Silva destroyed. At least that bastard had proved her point about safety, beyond a shadow of a doubt.

Gareth's worried but weirdly enjoying being this close to M…lying on their stomaches on the floor allowed him a view of her cleavage that is very impressive. The shape of her backside in her short skirt is very nice also...the killer part of M's wardrobe today are the boots.

Gareth has always found M to be a provocative dresser for her age and today is definitely not an exception. That dress she wore to dinner left the three men at the table panting like dogs. Unfortunately, none of them got satisfaction from her that evening.

Maybe M likes men that take charge like his father...but he is so bull-headed at times. Father seemed positive that something was going to happen between them this last weekend but Bond foiled his plans.

M is more than a little pissed off at his father's accusatory tone. If he were him, Mallory would have let it go...it is too old-fashioned to care about dalliances in your lovers past. Christ...he should feel flattered that a woman who could have a man 30 years her junior would choose him.

They continued texting and talking to groups outside and inside relaying information back and forth while remaining as quiet as possible. Hopefully the creatures would move away eventually so that Mallory could get her out of here.

Suddenly there was a large thud...followed by groaning noises and M jumped with surprise. Mallory instinctively pulled her to him and wrapped his arms around her. M's head is locked in the crook of Gareth's neck as he held her protectively.

M's shock dissipated and she attempts to pull away. Mallory held her tightly but loosed his grip on the back of her head. M pulled her head away from his neck to look up at him questioningly.

Imagine her shock…as she accomplished pulling away and Gareth Mallory's lips met hers.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

James screamed as he bolted into a throng of zombies outside the medical office. He moved a quickly as he could, knocking some over and ducking out of the reach of others. As he broke through he continued his roar as he bolted around the corner.

Q and Tanner ran for the door. Once through they called for any survivors. The lab is smashed to bits and pieces. There is blood and some gore on the floor. There's a zombie with a scalpel imbedding in its head in the corner…luckily not moving.

A Doctor and nurse cautiously stepped out of a supply closet. Their clothes in disarray…nothing like a zombie apocalypse to supercharge a libido.

Tanner stood by the door waiting for Bond. Q moved to the unharmed pair as he cleared a spot on the desk for his laptop.

"Ok... what the hell happened? I need to get this information to M and disease control."

Tanner yelled, "Q as he heard a knock and Q released the door lock."

Bond fell into the room sweating and panicking. "Christ they are faster than I thought…the movies lied to us."

Q frowned. "You didn't see the latest one from the summer then…those were some super fast zombies."

Tanner took over. "Enough! Figure out what to do and make the report to the outside before they decide we are too much of a risk and blow this place up with us in it!"

Doctor Scot and his nurse composed themselves and told them that it is the flu medication. They placed some remaining vials carefully in a metal case for transport.

Bond starts, "I didn't kill any more, Doctor. Do you think the infected can be healed?"

"I don't know…they will need the drug and likely a sample."

Bond looks at the dead zombie in the corner. "Ok here is the plan…submit the information to the people who need it Q. We are going to put that thing on a trolley and get it to the exit. Nurse you carry the case…the safe word is queen when you reach the outside."

The nurse and doctor nod.

Bond continues his plan while Q types away sending the updates and a rough outline of the plan to get the nurse and doctor out with a dead zombie.

"Q you are on doors and communications. Tanner you're armed so cover the rear…shoot for the head if you need to. I will take the front followed by Q. Nurse you and Dr. Scot have the body. If we head into a swarm I will lead them away like last time. Stay as quiet as you can. Exit 2 is on this floor so we don't have to manage stairs again."

Q asks, "what's the plan after that Bond?"

Bond looks at Q and then to Tanner. "The doctor and nurse stay outside and we go get any other stragglers. William Mallory and Eve are trapped in the lift and then we go get M from her office."

They pause to allow Q to send the information and get the body on a trolley. When all is ready they look at each other and take a few calming breathes before heading out into the hall towards exit 2.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

"What the HELL!"

M pulled out of his grasp and jumped up and immediately regretted it. There were even more creatures outside her office and she can see them strain against the bullet-proof glass.

Mallory reaches his knees and pulls her back down to him. M fights against him as he pulls her back down out of the view of the zombies.

"M please stop…I'm sorry…I just got carried away. I have no excuse for my behaviour. I have…I don't no….feelings developing for you since…for a long time really. I've been intrigued by you the minute I met you."

"So why on earth did you set me up with your father?"

"I did not know how to get close to you…I did not know that the two of you would become lovers…companionship was my idea for the two of you. How was I to know the old man was still so frisky and bull-headed."

"Gareth over fifteen years ago scientist took a long needed break from trying to save us all from aids and cancer to invent a blue pill that…"

Mallory laughs. "I know that…ha…ha…but how was I to know you would be interested in him that way."

"I like your father but we are not yet lovers in a physical sense. We have fun together and it is not unusual for a couple our age to be seen together publicly."

"You can't have that with James…Bond is a poor career move also."

"Are you threatening me! Kissing me…I can excuse...as a moment of insanity but do not threaten my career Mallory!"

Gareth reached out to stroke her face as they lie hidden behind the desks. "I don't mean to M…I'm sorry but I am very attracted to you and with the danger outside the door…I just want to do something passionate and crazy and not stress over how strong that glass is."

"Mallory this is not a good idea. I have no interest in you sexually. I am too old for you to be entertaining these thoughts."

"You entertain them with Bond though don't you…admit it."

"I did for about 20 minutes on Friday night, in a moment of confusion, but then we fought with the intensity of the summer sun. He sent me apology flowers and I forbade him from ever entering my home again...that he ignored the next night! Honestly…I'm too bloody old for all this youthful melodrama."

Mallory continues to caress her face and begins to trail his hand down her neck relaxing her. Mallory gently nudges her on to her back in their nest.

"You are only as old as you feel M and I would love to make you feel…very young again."

Mallory props himself over her and stares deeply into her eyes while one hand trails down her side. His other hand holds the side of her face as his thumb traces circles along her jaw line, down to her neck.

M knows that everything about this is wrong, but she's entranced, as his lustful dark blue eyes bore into hers…his caresses are gently relaxing her as the sound of her beating heart and shallow breathing begins to drown out the sound of monsters outside the door.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Moneypenny stares at her phone…waiting for a message. Finally one shows up from Q…they are heading to get them as soon as they carry out the dangerous mission of getting the doctor and a sample zombie out to the army surrounding MI6.

Eve lets Mallory Sr. know that it won't be much longer.

"That is only if they are successful lass…what if they aren't?"

"Maybe the army will come in?"

"They are more likely to destroy this complex than let that happen my dear girl."

Eve was getting even more worried…worried for her friends and family here at MI6…how many are already dead. A tear crawls down her face as she considers those she may lose of have already lost.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Bond and his group of survivors run through the corridors of MI6's underground bunker as fast as they can. Bond runs ahead to peer around corners to see if zombies are there.

Unfortunately there are. They stop and Q uses his laptop to try to find an alternate way when suddenly a group of 6 zombies come ambling up the hall they came from. Tanner looks worried and Bond just pops off a round into the ones around the corner and waves them on.

Tanner takes the lead and runs down the hall kicking the dead creatures out-of-the-way so they can push the body through. The other zombies start coming fast now. Bond only hesitates a second and the others hear the pop…pop of Bond's gun as they run for the exit.

Q opens the exit and they run out to see the army in the distant surrounding emergencies quarantine tents. Tanner waves the doctor and nurse forward to the tents and he and Q run back in to meet with Bond.

The three of them can move muck quicker now without protecting the medical staff.

Now they need to get to the lift and make it to level one and M.

They run into another group of zombies but Q pops open the door to an office that allows them to bypass the group through another door and they reach the lift. Q engages the lift to open on floor 2.

It opens to the relief of the two occupants, William and Eve. The three climb in and take the lift to floor one.

Bond extends his gun arm at the door and looks at Q. "Get ready to close these doors quickly if there are too many of them out there."

The occupants of the lift anxiously await the doors. They open to show a jumbled mess but no creatures. They round the corner cautiously to look up to where M's office is located.

They duck back around the corner. Bond looks at Tanner and Eve. "Damn they're all outside her office."

Tanner looks worried. "What are we going to do?"

Bond looks at Q. "You and William get back in the lift but open a line to our phones. We will have to lead them away and then have you pop the lock on her office. We will all take the lift to the surface and get out."

Eve looks at them. "Is there no one else down here that is alive?"

Q looks saddened. "None have contacted us and we sent out emails and texts. The outside forces have not reported any escapes…infected or healthy."

Tanner looks at Eve and the rest. "Our mission is to get M, and Mallory and get out into quarantine until we can sweep the installation."

Q and William head back into the lift and Q slides down to the floor to balance the computer on his knees. Q opens audio lines to the smartphones of Eve, Tanner and Bond."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

M cannot believe that this is happening...Mallory is nibbling on her earlobe and feathering kisses to her neck. Christ she should stop him it is too wrong but she is too wound up...It has been one of the most frustrating weekends of her life and now this!

Gareth is pressing his advantage in that she has not outright slapped him away or said NO! Gareth is now propped up directly covering her body with his as he moves his knee between hers and moves his lips up her jaw line and back to meet hers.

M feels Mallory's arousal against her thigh as he begins kissing her. This is when her brain begins to rebel against her baser instincts.

Not with this Mallory and not in this situation!

M pushes him away from her. "NO! Stop this now! I will not be coerced into this because of proximity and threat. This happens with agents all the time...the thrill of the mission. This is no mission and I am no weak-willed woman that cannot control herself."

Mallory sits down scowling. "You should not have enjoyed it for as long as you did then M...It makes it far more difficult for me to be gentlemanly and stop...let alone forget what just transpired here between us. We shared a very intimate interlude...one that I nor you will be able to forget happened."

M sits up beside him. "I do not want this to affect you Gareth but I will never be yours and you should realize this. I am a widow and a very busy woman. Honestly, I don't think I will be in a relationship with anyone after this. Your father is very mad at me for a perceived indiscretion with Bond and Bond is...I don't know what Bond is, but he is my best agent. Bond should be saving our asses anytime now or I will have his pay decreased."

M's phone beeped...Bond, Tanner and Eve on their way...be ready to run for the lift...Q


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Bond and Tanner spread out on the floor just below M's office while Eve stays hidden waiting. There are rows of office equipment, desks, chairs and miscellaneous items in this open area.

The two men pick up discarded items and begin tossing them into the group of zombies surrounding the glass office.

They begin banging on desks and making noise to draw them away, keeping an eye on an exit hallway to lead them down.

The creatures turn and slowly amble down towards them. Bond takes off down one hall letting Q know and Tanner goes the opposite way doing the same. Eve bounds up the stairs and Q pops the door.

M and Mallory follow Eve back towards the lift. One of the creatures that was following too far behind Bond has turned back towards them.

Eve screams for M and Mallory to run but M delays to wait for Eve. Eve is hesitating and get grabbed by the zombie. The zombie is pulling on her and M instinctively pulls Eve back and tries to beat the creature off her. The gun Eve was holding skids across the floor.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

Mallory makes it to the lift and looks behind him to see that M is gone…he runs back to see her and Eve struggling with a zombie. Mallory picks up the gun and screams, "GET DOWN!"

The women hit the floor immediately and Mallory pulls the trigger. Right into its head.

Mallory runs to M and grabs her arm, "are you all right?"

"Yes..I think so, Eve?"

"Fine…lets go."

They reach the lift and it opens to show a worried William and Q. William wraps M in an embrace as soon as she enters the lift and then hugs his son. "Can we get out of here now?"

M looks at him. "Not without Bond and Tanner."

William scowls, "They know how to get out…they did it before."

M barks. "WE STAY!"

Mallory puts his hand on his father. "We have to wait for them it is only fair…they did save us."

"That is why we should get her out of here…she is the head of this department and they did it so she could escape…that is the bloody point!"

"Enough! I have made my opinion clear and we do not leave and that's final!"

"Can't leave your young lover behind…you're willing to sacrifice the rest of us for him."

"Dad..that is enough…It is only fair to wait…we are relatively safe here so quiet down!"

M looks on Gareth Mallory with more respect and glares at William…it is definitely over between them after that remark.

Tanner came bolting to the open door panting and sweating. "Bond?"

The shook their heads.

"Not yet." M answered as she bit her bottom lip in concern for her wayward agent.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Bond is running in circles trying to lead the creatures away from M. Getting back is the difficult part. Bond runs into another group, the one lead away by Tanner.

Bond is on speaker through Q's computer.

"Q I need an alternate route…I can get out the way we took the doctor and you can take the lift up to the main entrance.

"Yes…Bond take a right, a left and then another right and you will be at the exit. We will wait here until I know that you made it."

"No, Q get M out of here that's an order!"

"Bond, this is M since when do you get to order my staff around…we will wait until you have escaped…that's final!"

"Damn stubborn woman." Bond whispers.

"I heard that!"

"Of course you did…ahhgh...we will discuss this when it is all over...emergency situations and command structure."

"Damn right we will Bond...now get out now!"

Bond runs past a group of zombies that were facing the other direction. They follow him but Bond is far faster.

"Ok I've made it to the exit now get out of the bloody building now!"

Tanner presses the button on the door. Eve and Tanner get their pistols up and ready for when the door opens.

It's clear so they go ahead out into the lobby before the main doors. They crash against the locked doors, sealed from the outside.

"Now what?" Eve looks about to panic.

Military men approach the glass doors and look at them.

M approaches the glass and shouts "QUEEN! Now let us the hell out of here now!"

The man uses his radio to speak to someone and as he delays they turn to the sound of zombies approaching from beyond the lift. Some of them are now in the lift.

Mallory starts banging on the glass door to hurry the man up but he is still delaying.

Tanner shoots the closest in the head and Eve does the same but more are coming…

Tanner yells. "Damn It Q…do something!"

Q screams back "I can't! Open the bloody doors!"

The Mallory men put themselves in front of M between her and the zombies. Q is typing frantically with one hand and Eve and Tanner take shots at the oncoming hoard.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

James makes the exit and heads to the quarantine tent. The Colonel in charge approaches him.

"The others are going to the main entrance. It was an easier way out for them."

Colonel Fraser frowns and shakes his head. "That way's barricaded they cannot get out that way!"

Bond does not even pause for a breath "Get is open or I will!" Bond runs for the nearest vehicle and tears away just as the Colonel's radio goes off.

Christ he has to get to them…before.

These creatures are not going to take her away from him…no one is…he will not allow it!


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

James drives like a maniac to the main entrance. He sees men just standing around talking on their radios as M yells at them through the glass.

James honked his horn continuously as he heads straight for the glass entrance. M's eye's widen as she shouts at Tanner and the rest to move out-of-the-way. They had repulsed most of the zombies by that point.

The military looks shocked but readies their weapons at the vehicle speeding towards the enclosure.

The glass breaks open and Bond reverses out of the building to jump out to get M.

"Come on hurry!"

They burst through the opening and into the SUV Bond just used to open the door.

Bond grabs Tanner. "Drive them around to quarantine exit 2 I will follow once I seal this up."

Tanner nods and jumps into the driver seat.

M looks at Bond. "Make sure none escape…I will see you in a few minutes."

Bond smiles. "Yes, ma'am."

Bond turns to the military men as a few shots are fired into the entrance way Bond unconventionally created.

"Move that truck up against the hole in the glass entrance. None can escape. Try not to shoot any unless absolutely necessary, because it may be an illness that can be treated."

The men did as Bond commanded and blocked the exit. Bond inspected the truck placement and made sure it would work.

"No one leaves this post until this is over I will make sure your commander is aware. I will need to take this vehicle back to quarantine."

The men nod and hand him some keys.

Tanner, M and the others reach the quarantine. Colonel Fraser comes to speak to M and Mallory. "You will all need to come into Medical for testing and you will be spending time here in quarantine."

M looks pissed, but agrees. Some medical staff take M and Eve to a tent and the men to another. They're asked to disrobe partly for blood tests and inspection.

Eve has a multitude of scratches on her arms from the zombies. The medical team clean and bandage her.

M also has a few scratches and they attend them. Bond suddenly burst in the tent much to the surprise of the occupants.

The nurse frowns. "Sir, you can't be in here!"

Bond gives her a cold glare and walks quickly to M and wraps her in his arms. M is a bit shocked at his actions as she stiffens in his embrace.

Eve smiles at him and winks.

"Bond…really let go…I'm fine and you shouldn't be here, we're barely decent!"

Bond murmurs into her hair. "I am not leaving you…until this is over I am your bodyguard…I will not take no as an answer.  M you should know by now that I like you barely decent...I like you in every way."

"All right...all right... but will you at least release me so I may dress and go to command."

"Yes, if I have too…but I am your shadow from this point on." Bond was enjoying the feeling of her pressed up against him in nothing but her white lace bra.

Eve was already getting dressed across the tent and smiled at the sweetness of the two lovers.  Why had she never seen it before…Mallory was right…it had been there for all to see for a very long time.

M. Bond and Eve join the others in the command tent. Q is busy getting his computer hooked up through the military network.

The medical blood samples taken and compared to that of the infected that they liberated from MI6.

M and Mallory ask for updates. Colonel Fraser begins the brief. "The building is secure and reinforcements secured the hole your agent left. The scientists and doctors have determined that the cause of the crisis is infection from the flu shots."

M frowns. "Tanner…where did they come from?"

Tanner steps up and answers. "Drug company from Switzerland, ma'am."

M starts distributing commands to her staff and the military in attendance.

"Tanner, I would like the nearest agent we have to secure the drug facility.  Colonel would you please make sure to alert all NATO operations about the possible contamination. Q, I want thermal imagery from the facility from the time of the out break to now. Mallory could you tell the PM's office of the situation and be our liaison?"

A chorus of, "yes ma'am!" occurs as they get to work.

The MI6 doctor approaches with other scientists. "We believe it may be reversible but we need to decrease the temperature with the building to below zero. We would like to gather the creatures somewhere central.  More testing needs to be done."

M walks over to the table that Q has set up. "Can you cut the temperature Q and how long will it take to reduce it to -4 C?"

"I have already taken control of the environmental controls but it will take hours to reduce the temperature that much. I do have the thermal imagery you requested."

The members of six looked up to the mains screen Q commandeered to display the outbreak from the beginning in medical on the second sub level.

They observed the fluctuations in the core body temperatures as the creatures left after their shots and the gradual cooling of the creatures 30 minutes after having the shot.

As the replay continued you could see the levels of MI6 and the spread of the infected and the pockets of healthy. They watched as some were obviously attacked by the infected and in themselves infected.

They observed the attack that Q, Tanner and Bond battle in Q division. The imagery showed the pockets of healthy people decrease as the infection spread.

Bond suddenly stiffens beside M and William on the other side of her reacts to the image on the screen.

"What the…care to explain what is going on in your office M?"

M begins to blush as the heat signatures in her office meld into one as Mallory holds her and then hovers above her making the heat signature of two become one.

Bond is griping his hands into fists at his sides. Mallory is on top of M! What the hell is going on here...what is it with the Mallory men? How long were they in that position...Bond wants to get Q to tell him but M would kill him for asking.

Bond scowled at Gareth Mallory. "Yes, I would like to know also."

Mallory shifts from foot to foot uncomfortable with the evidence that is obvious to all of his indiscretion with M.

M shakes her head. "Irrelevant to the current problem people, let us focus on what is important."

William looks at her with contempt. "Exactly what were you doing with my son M? Do you have no shame woman?"

M glares at William and lets him have it.

"Me! Your son gropes me and it's my fault! I was hardly the aggressor and resent the insinuations and judgements that are being lobbed in my direction in the last few days. Mallory take your father home…as long as medical has cleared him get him out of my sight and have a man sit on him to make sure he doesn't wander away."

William is furious at being spoken to like this and that his own son is obeying her commands makes him even more furious.

"I will go but this is not over yet M…as for you son…what in hell…how has she managed to bewitch you…have you used me just to get close to her?"

"Dad please, let's get you home." Mallory escorts his father out to a car and has a member of the security detail take him home.

Bond follow them out of the tent and cuts Mallory off as he returns.

"What the hell was going on in that office Mallory?"

"That is between M and myself agent Bond."

"She would never initiate that Mallory and you were practically salivating over her at dinner the other night…yes...I noticed...everyone noticed her that night...she was...she is sublime."

"I don't care if you did Bond. It was a moment of pure impulse on my part and she did not pull away instantly so the situation may be mutual…you will have to ask her. I'm intrigued by her Bond... and yes I know that you feel the same way but it is not necessary to attempt to intimidate me. I will go by whatever M decides. I am willing to await her pleasure and not become a jealous pig-headed bully like my father and you, I think."

Mallory ducks back into the tent and Bond follows. They are going to have a long wait to see the effect of reducing the temperature in MI6.

M turns and looks at the two men as they come back in with rigid posture.

They obviously shared words outside but M was too concerned with the zombies to worry about their jealous and spiteful feelings…MEN!


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

The military compound that now surrounds MI6 is keeping people and the press at least 3 blocks away by using stun guns on anyone that does not immediately comply with the no enter zone.

Comprised of two command tents, medical and assorted food and rest tent areas for the troops it has become an emergency village in the heart of London. MI6 and mainly Q have a command tent of their own beside that of the military.

Commanders and specialist walk in and out of each bringing information or coming to get information from Q.

Q was offered an area in the military command tent but declined...the military make him feel nervous and he needs a more familiar atmosphere to do his best work.

M will consent to anything the young genius wants at this point if it will contain and eradicate this disease.

Helicopters with cameras attempt to invade the no fly zone around the site but the military keeps them at bay.

M speaks with the PM and has him working on getting Vauxhall Cross back up and ready for MI6 to use. For now MI5 has offered to share.

M would rather stay in the tents until one of their locations is back up and ready for them.

Of course the PM is complaining about the cost of the operation and emergency measures. To which M replies,

"Would you like us to let them out and infect the entire Island thus negating the need for money, politicians or food ever again."

This is a bloody apocalyptic threat and he is complaining about finances. M then suggests the PM take up a collection from the rest of the world for us to keep it trapped on our island and save them all."

Lord knows that once the word gets out they will have to talk the Americans down from nuking them back to the stone age.

As it stands M has lost hundreds of employees and that is the most horrible aspect...the human loss. M hopes by freezing the creatures a medical team of scientists can reverse this sickness.

Bond has not left her side since their escape from the bunker. M tries to ignore his presence like she has come accustom to for her regular guards.

James Bond however is very distracting. Specially when around him for long periods of time…like Skyfall.

That time was also very stressful and intense. M only survived because of him...to be honest about it.

Now what...what does she do about Bond?

Bond paces around distracting M, like a gorgeous tiger ready to pounce on anything that moves.

Colonel Fraser approaches M. "Ma'am you can go home and get some rest now. It is just a waiting game and my team can stay on watch while yours gets some much-needed rest."

"Thank you Colonel. I think that is a good idea."

M walks over to her team. "Everyone go home get cleaned up sleep. We will meet back here tomorrow at 8. Q how is the temperature drop progressing?"

"It is now 10 degrees celsius and I have not noticed much of a change in the thermal imagery. They are still giving off heat so not some of them more than others."

Tanner frowns. "I wonder if the ones killed after the infection are the ones that are colder?"

Mallory adds. "You mean the ones that didn't get the drug, but were infected because of the attack...we should talk to medical before we leave."

M nods. "Mr. Tanner, Q go and give this hypothesis to medical and then go home. May I speak to you privately Mr. Mallory?"

"Yes of course M."

Tanner and Q head to medical and Eve said her goodbyes and headed home. The tent is empty but for Bond standing two feet behind M.

M turns to James. "Bond could you give us a moment?"

Bond frowns. "I am your bodyguard ma'am...I will not leave you alone..."

M's eyes flash in anger. "You will wait outside the tent...in fact find me a driver to take me home after I speak to Mr. Mallory...that is an order 007."

Bond stomps out in a huff but remains beside the flap of the tent to listen to the conversation and make sure Mallory doesn't touch her...in any way.

M turns back to Mallory after watching Bond leave...he is likely just outside the bloody door.

"I don't know what to do about your father, Mallory."

"I know how you feel M. I have to go back there and take an earful from him. I am more concerned about your feelings now M.  Do you want to continue with my father or will you give me a chance?"

M makes small circles on her temples with her fingers attempting to reduce the tension.

"I don't think after what happened that there is anything to save between your father and I. He knows my job now but I don't think he is all that accepting of it. As for you and me, I am afraid young man, it's entirely one-sided."

"So Bond wins...this does not look good from a career standpoint...and before you attack me I am not the one that will object...after what we have been through and witnessing the way you run your team I never want you to retire."

"Yes well, now after this craziness I may just resign anyway."

The two of them chuckle and Mallory steps forward and envelopes M in a hug. "I will talk to the old man and get him to apologize to you for the way he behaved. It's the least the jealous old fool can do."

M pulls away from Mallory and gives him a wan smile. "I have to go get some sleep and I recommend you do the same. Can I give you the task of eventually coming up with the official statement to the press?"

"Yes...I will speak to the PM and make one up for tomorrow morning. I won't use the term Zombie...Infection and drug reaction is better don't you think?

"Yes we have to wrap it up in a nicer package but the fact remains my employees are dead or dying in a horrifying manner and we will have to deal with the truth of the matter eventually. Their families deserve at least that."

M walks outside the tent to see Bond standing just where she imagined he would be. "Did you find me a car and driver?"

"Yes I did ma'am...this way."

Bond leads M outside the tented area in the opposite direction from the press. Bond comes up to a black company car from some SIS department that he must have found a driver for.

Bond opens the rear door for her and she steps in wearily.

Much to M's surprise Bond gets in the driver's seat and starts the car.

"Are you kidnapping me again 007?"

"You could say that but we won't drive to Scotland tonight M. I am going to stop off quickly...I ordered us some food."

"I take it you're planning on accompanying me home and eating with me also?  This is not what my usual driver does...nor any of my bodyguards. What makes you think I will agree to this Bond?"

Bond looks back through the mirror at her and flashes his most devastating smile.

"I would hate for the press to get wind of what is really going on at MI6...wouldn't you?"

"BLACKMAIL! Really Bond have you no shame at all?"

"Not where your concerned M...none at all."

M harumphs and rests her head back against the seat of the car. The next thing she knows Bond is lifting her out of the car and carrying her up the stairs into her flat.

"BOND...put me down this instant...I am not an invalid."

Bond put her down in her hallway. "I know you aren't M but you were so tired I though I would give you some extra time. I ran a bath for you upstairs. I am going now to get some food and will be back in half an hour."

"James you do not have to do all this..."

"I know...I want to do things for you M."

"Dear boy...I know you do...it's just.."

"We will talk about this after your bath and I'm famished. I'll be back soon lock the door behind me."

M smiled a weak smile and did as he bid, locking the door and heading upstairs to the bath. When she reached her en suite she found a glass of wine beside the tub and music softly playing.

Bond had filled the tub with very hot water and used her favourite bath scent. M smiles to herself as she disrobed and climbs into the tub...it is glorious but she adds some bubbles as she lays back and closes her eyes.

Suddenly hearing a strange sound M's eyes pop open to see a lecherously smiling Bond looking at her.

"BOND! What the hell do you think you're doing in here?"

"I have dinner set up downstairs and have waited for 20 minutes. I worried you had drowned."

Bond opens his arms holding a large bath towel and turns his head to the side. Pretending to close his eyes.

"Bond if you really expect me to get out of this tub with you in the room turn your bloody head away from the direction of the damn mirror!"

Bond chuckles and turns in the other direction. M climbs out of the tub and he wraps her in his arms.

"Now get out...you voyuer. I will be down after I change."

"Don't forget your wine M."

"OUT!"

M takes the glass of wine taking a sip and smiling to herself. Tension from the last 18 hours melted away in the tub. M walks to her room and gets into some flannel pyjamas and wraps herself in a plush robe before going downstairs.

M secretly defies Bond to find anything remotely sexy in what she's wrapped in.

They eat dinner realizing how hungry they were.

"So you will be glad to learn Bond that William and I, are done."

"Really...so do we get a chance M?"

M and Bond move to sit in her living room after dinner.

"Bond...I'm your boss and old enough to be your mother...It would just be..."

"What...It's just what...M inappropriate...like rolling around on your office floor with junior...I can't say I blame William for being pissed about that...I was."

"So is this what we're reduced to Bond? One of us gets angry and attacks...brutally to hurt the other...fling insults at each other...christ I feel like I'm married to you."

"Is that a proposal M?"

"As if...I'm far to old for you and I don't share well with others so you could no longer do your job effectively."

"I can work around that aspect of the job...I don't have to go that far...to get information from them."

"But you do it...because it is what you love to do."

Bond takes one of her hands in his as he leans in close to her on the sofa.

"I want you more."

M looks at Bond surprised at the intensity in his eyes. Could he be honestly in love with her...an old lady?

"I could be dead within five years."

"So could I."

Bond leaned into M's retreating form until her back met the arm of the sofa and his lips met hers.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

M leaned away from Bond as he approached her. Once his lips touched hers there was a spark of electricity between them.

Bond pulled her closer to him as her lips parted for him and his heart rate tripled. This is everything he wanted…her forgiveness her affection, her being...her willingness to give herself to him intimately. It is all he has dreamed about since Skyfall.

Bond's hands quickly went to work on the tie of her robe. M likely chose this to suppress her innate sexiness but it could never work. Once the robe's opened Bond's hand found her breast.

M feels the softness of his lips and allows herself to open up to him. M feels him open her robe and paw at her breast. M begins to chuckle against his lips and Bond pulls back to look at her.

Bond pants, "what's so funny M?"

"Men…so predictable."

Bond gives her a devastating smile and continues caressing her breast. Bond begins opening the buttons on her pyjama top to get better access.

"What do you think you're doing Bond?"

"Why M, you look like you're overheating and you need to cool down…I am more than willing to help by disrobing you."

M catches his hand and holds it in her own.

"James, are you sure you're not playing with my emotions? If you are I will end you!"

"M…I love you and would never play with your emotions…please believe me."

M moves over James's lap straddling him and his eyes go wide in surprise. M shrugs off her robe and allows it to fall to the floor. She takes his hands that she is still holding and places them on the buttons of her top.

Bond smiles and gazes into her eyes as his hands work the buttons free and then travel up to her shoulders and the top falls to the floor to join her robe.

M smiles at the look of desire on his face as her nimble fingers begin opening the buttons on his dress shirt. M can feel his arousal on her thigh as his hands find her breasts and he licks his lips. M's mouth descends on his.

The kiss continues as she attempts to get his shirt open. Frustrated she pulls away from him and he pants as she frowns at the remaining buttons. Changing tactics she grabs his shirt tails and pulls the shirt over his head.

Bond smiles at her attempt to open his shirt. When she lifts it over his head it allows him an incredible view of her breasts as he leans forward and begins suckling one and teasing the other with his fingers.

M arches into him and moans at the intimate touch that she has longed for since the night he caught her with William. The memory of that intensity, of their first kiss and their subsequent fight increase her arousal.

M cannot believe this is happening…a lover 30 her junior…a sexy powerful killing machine, partly of her own creation. A psychologist would have a field day with this…relationship and her current position straddling her best agent.

Bond takes the other nipple into his mouth and then trails kisses up her chest to her neck pausing to suck her lovely neck as he pulls her closer to him.

It has been to long since he tasted her lips but he pauses to look at her. "Do you have any idea how long I've wanted this?"

"No..but lets not live in the past James."

Their lips meet again and her hands caress his muscled chest and shoulders. Bond's hands grasp her behind pulling her up against his straining erection causing them both to moan.

Bond cannot wait anymore. He stands suddenly, M wraps her legs around him as he moves to the stairs with her in his arms. Their lips remain locked as he carries her to her bedroom and lays her in the middle of her bed.

Bond stands and toes off his socks and undoes his trousers as M watches him from the bed missing the contact with his body. Bond runs his hands up her legs and reach the waistband of the pyjama bottoms.

Bond gives M a playful wink as he pulls them and her panties down her legs. Bond crawls over her body placing his knee between her legs as their lips meet again.

Bond trails kisses down her body lavishing attention on her breasts before continuing down her belly to settle himself between her legs.

Bond's warm breath teases her. M cannot believe this is about to happen but she throws her head back and moans in pleasure as his glorious tongue meets her sex.

Within minutes M is writhing in pleasure and calling out his name. Bond smiles against her nipping at her as the sensitivity drives her mad. Bond trails his finger to her opening as he inserts one gently to test her readiness.

Bond eases up her torso licking and kissing up her body slowly relishing the taste of her skin and the sounds of her approval. Pausing at her breasts to give them more attention Bond continues to stroke her and uses another finger to widen her.

"You feel so good M…your breast are incredible…I knew they would be…I've been staring at your cleavage for years wondering how they would feel."

"And..how do they measure up Bond."

"They are the best…most magnificent…pleasurable."

"Shut up and kiss me Bond."

James smiles and kisses her passionately. "M…are you ready?"

"Yes," came out in a strangled cry. "But go slowly…it has been a long time."

Bond continues to stroke her and he removes his pants and eases into her. Bond pauses when he hears M hiss. Bond looks into her eyes the room dimly lit by the hall light.

"M…are you ok? I can stop…christ…I think I can stop."

"No…don't you dare. Easy now…there."

Bond inches inside her amazing warmth as he begins to sweat with his restraint. They resume kissing and he gradually enters her a bit at a time.

M wraps her legs around him and her moan inspire James to rock against her gently. There is no way he can stop himself now and he makes love to her more gently and with more restraint than he ever thought he was capable of.

M looks up at him and can see the affection in his gaze. Bond's slow deliberate movements are amazingly gentle. James is not just having sex with her…he is making love to her. She smiles and pulls his head down to her lips.

M will not rush him but she does not want to be treated like a porcelain doll either.

"James…James…love…you won't break me…harder...darling…faster."

Bond growls in response and increases his pace with abandon.

Within minute they achieve pleasure together with a cry of each others name on their lips.

Bond's propped on his elbow above her and rests his head in the crook of her neck, panting.

"M you…are divine."

"You are equally impressive James."

James moves to her side and wraps his arm around her waist.

"Please say we can do that again."

M laughs. "Yes, my dear boy we can."

"Just give me 5 minutes then."

M laughs and hits his arm. "James…I don't mean now!"

"Awwhh…but."

"We need to sleep and get ready for battle tomorrow…who knows what will happen with those zombies. At least we can put all that sexual tension behind us. It's a relief to know whatever happens to us tomorrow we had the most pleasant of evenings tonight."

"Pleasant is a mild term for what we just did and I want a repeat performance as soon as possible. I will let you get some sleep and we will just get up early."

M chuckle. "James you're insatiable."

"You make me…if you don't hurry up and fall asleep I will have to begin again."

To prove his point James kisses her hungrily again and she kisses back. M pushes him away and they cuddle down for the night.

True to his work James wakes her with kisses trailing down her back and they make love slowly before getting up for work.

Whatever the day may bring, James is sure to have the biggest of smiles today. Not even Zombies can knock James Bond off the high he's on.


	13. Chapter 13

 

Chapter 13

Bond drives M back to base camp at the MI6 Bunker. There is a flurry of activity and Tanner approaches her immediately.

"Good morning ma'am, hope you were able to get some sleep."

"Yes, Mr. Tanner I did. I hope we all got some well needed rest."

M elbows Bond who is standing too close behind her and giggles at Tanner's question.

"Shall we meet the Colonel and get back to work."

The three enter the MI6 command tent. Q and Moneypenny are already there working in the corner. A private leaves to get the Colonel so the briefing can begin.

M turns to acknowledge Mr. Mallory as he entered the tent.

"Good morning Mr. Mallory…how is William?"

Mallory tosses a look at Bond. "To be honest M he is not good. I think the two of you should meet for coffee at some point and hash things out privately."

Colonel Fraser enters with some men who bring beverages to everyone present.

"M, ma'am you man Q has reduced the temperature and we are going to enter the facility later today. Specialists from all over the world are on their way here to help in the examinations."

"Good. Q anything to add?"

"Well, M…Mr. Tanner and I have been in contact with 005 and 003 who have the drug facility contained. However, one of the scientists on staff there has fled and 005 is in pursuit. Then a bomb went off and the facility is on fire. 003 is on scene and assisting."

M looks at Bond and wonders if she should send him to help.

Bond sees the look on M's face and he shakes his head. "There are two 00's on the case and you have no bodyguard."

Colonel steps forward with some paperwork for M. Tanner takes it from him and gets them in order for M to look over and then sign as M stands behind Q to look at the monitor's he is displaying from inside the bunker.

The thermal signatures are now a deep blue. The temperature is that of a refrigerator and the creatures movements have subsided.

Tanner hands M a clipboard and pen. She begins signing the paperwork as Mallory approaches.

"I have the press release you want me to deliver. If you would like to look and then I will call the PM telling him what I will say so he can make a report to Parliament and add his own statement after."

"Thank you Mr. Mallory."

M scans the report and nods to Mallory. Mallory leaves to deal with the press.

The military gets a team together to enter the facility.

Colonel Fraser outlines the plan.

"The team will enter the facility and take all the infected to the garage near the exit. There they will be contained in the cold environment until the scientific team can get ready to enter and take a test subject out. They want samples from the frozen ones and compare it to the samples of the dead ones they have. They also plan on taking one of the sub-living zombies into their lab and take samples from and observe. The ones that have been killed in self-defence must be tested identified and then incinerated. If we could have Commander Bond go with the force it would help."

M looks at Bond but before she can say anything he interrupts.

"I will go…I know the layout and where I met the creatures in pockets before."

M does think it is the best idea however she feels a deep sense of worry for him…this is why she never should have given in to her desire for him.

M looks to the flap of the tent when it opens to see the head of SIS, MI5 approaching. M gives him a small smile and extends her hand.

"M, so sorry to hear about the losses. Your offices are almost completed…I heard from Mr. Mallory."

"Yes, Blake and how is everything being contained on the home front?"

"As well as can be expected…you know the papers. We are trying to keep it all quiet. What can I do to help?"

"I was going to ask you about lending or giving me a healthy staff once we get the Vauxhall cross office open. Luckily many of the agents are out of country and still doing the work required but I need support staff that is secure."

"I will get on it…I can likely come up with 25 to start and then we will shuffle things around from there. Good luck M. I'm glad you were not hurt again in the line of duty."

M smiled and nodded as Blake shook her hand again. For all the implied competition between their two agencies it is nice to see they are willing to help when needed.

Of coarse, M will make sure to have Tanner, Q and Eve keep a close eye on those he does send because a few will likely be reporting right back to Blake.

Now that Bond and M have progressed into something…M will have to be careful or actually retire before they find out about them.

Eve seems well aware that there is something more but her own staff does not worry her…Mallory and Blake will be watching her carefully.

Bond for his part has a hard time standing this close to her and smelling her perfume. Not to mention that because of the hight difference he is afforded an excellent view of her cleavage.

M turns to Bond who is just standing there watching her intently. Bond gives her a quick wink. Damn him is that all he can think about. M wants to wipe that lecherous grin off his smug face.

M speaks quietly to Bond through the side of her mouth.

"Time and place 007…straighten your features or I will end you!"

Tanner waves them over to Eve and Q's desk for a private conversation.

"005 has the target with the drugs on him. 003 has worked with the Swiss and they have decided to sweep the buildings and warehouses and destroy all medication at the facility once the report comes back from the chemist that 005 is bringing in. Where do you want to do the interrogation?"

"We will have to do it here. The military needs to know and so does the rest of the SIS agencies in the world. This is a pandemic level threat and boarders and nationality mean little. We are lucky we have managed to contain this mess. I can just imagine the panic if it got out.

Eve can you and Tanner start contacting every single security force of countries that deal with that drug company. Have them destroy everything and send them a picture of one of our poor infected. If they don't believe you have them turn on the bloody BBC news to see the helicopters and army set up here in the heart of London."

"Yes, ma'am."

Bond goes out for a spell to get some food for the six of them now that Mallory has returned from the press conference he performed.

Throngs of people were pointing their cameras towards the tents and whispering conspiracy theories to each other…if they only knew what they had prevented from getting out…hopefully they will never know.

The staff of MI6 had little to do but manage contacts their throughout the world and wait for 005 to bring in the chemist.

William Mallory had arrived and gained entrance to the facility because of his son. William was still angry about yesterday and wants to talk to M alone but he has to lure her away from Bond and her staff first.

"Hello, M."

"William…what are you doing here?"

"I came to take you for coffee and talk."

"William, it's not a good time…there is so much…"

"I think you can spare a few minutes… I think you owe me a little of you time."

M nods and follows him out of the tent. William takes her arm and walks her to the edge of the compound. They take a stroll up the street to a café and order.

"M…I really have to hand it to you…you do get into far more trouble than I ever could. I am sorry for my behaviour and I will apologize to you staff…especially Bond when we return."

"Thank you William. I'm sorry also…for the way things turned out and for the tragedy unfolding at MI6. You should never have been exposed to such danger…you or your son."

"Speaking of Gareth, he apologized to me for kissing you. He says it was all in a moment of intense insanity on his part and that you have told him that there will be nothing between the two of you."

"Yes, it was clearly a moment of insanity, the entire day was."

The two of them chuckled. "William I have to get back. There is more to do and I have to be there for the operation."

William extends his arm to her and they walk back down the street and enter the rear of the compound.

XXXXXXXXXXX

Bond returns to the tent. "Where's M?"

The others suddenly look around noticing that she is not there.

Bond instantly thinks there is something wrong and tries her phone. "M?"

"I'm right here Bond."

James turns to see M arm and arm with William Mallory and frowns. Jealousy bubbles up from the pit of his stomach to his mouth.

"What have you two been up to?"

M glares at Bond's lack of propriety and blatant rudeness.

Tanner and Eve join the group and Eve looks very pecked.

Tanner interrupts with details on the prisoner that is being brought in.

"005 will be here within the hour and the team will deploy around the same time unless you want a delay M?"

"No, Tanner you and I can handle the questioning with 005. Bond you can begin briefing with the unit now."

Just as M finishes Eve lurches forward and staggers towards them with a groan. Eve is leaning towards M to her left and William reaches out from across from Eve to steady in what looks like a faint coming on.

Eve grabs Mallory and pulls his neck towards her and bites him viciously with a glaze in her eyes.

Everyone screams startled. Bond pull M behind him and Tanner tries to pull Eve off William. Medics and the Colonel rush into the tent. Tanner and Mallory try to hold Eve so that she cannot bite them.

The medics rush to the senior mister Mallory and begin bandaging him. Gareth yells. "Will he be all right?"

"He won't die from the wound but we need to find a cure for the infection."

The medic looks up as others arrive with a stretcher. "Tie the two of them in restraint…we have a living sample and a newly infected to study…hurry now."

They usher the two out of their tent and leave the others silently wondering how Eve became infected.

Doctor Scot from MI6 enters the tent and addresses M. "Did Eve get bitten in the escape M?"

"No but some of the Zombies pulled on her and I had to pull her back out of their grasp. Eve did have a great deal of scratches from them on her arms. I had a few myself but I don't remember if they came from the infected."

"I think you better come to medical for further testing M."

M frowns and looks at Bond and Tanner.

"Tanner can you take over…please get what answers that you can from 005 and the chemist."

"Yes ma'am…don't worry M…I'm sure they will find a way to help Eve and Mr. Mallory."

Bond has a very serious scowl on his face as his eyes bore deeply into hers. Bond feels a sense of panic rising inside him. They have to fix this…Eve cannot die and M cannot get sick from a few scratches.

"M…I.."

"I will be fine 007. You have a job to do so go do it and save our bloody arses…that's an order!"

"Yes ma'am."

Bond wants to hold her but there are too many witnesses. Hell, even if they were alone in this tent she would kill him for it. They had to convey every emotion though the tension in their bodies and their eyes.

Tanner could see that there was a moment happening between the two of them. Much like the intense way Bond acted about retrieving M from her office during the initial infestation.

M turned and exited the tent to go to medical with Bond on her heels.

"Bond you have a job to do."

"Yes and until the Colonel calls me, my job is being your bodyguard and I take guarding your body _VERY_ seriously."

M has to laugh despite the seriousness of this absurd situation. "That could be taken as sexual harassment Bond…If I was under you that is."

"Christ, M… having you under me has been the best part of my life so far."

"Bond! Why do you have to be so bloody melodramatic…it could have been a one time moment of insanity on my part...a one-off."

"Why do you always have to be so bloody stubborn and cruel woman...just admit you have feelings for me."

"Fine….fine…sorry…let's not fight now. We'll fight later... then go to bed...if you're a good boy."

Bond's smile reaches from ear to ear and he emits a low growl.

"Can't wait M...just like Christmas...I will be very good boy."

The two reached their destination and Bond grabs her hand as she holds the tent flap and whispers.

"I love you M."

M smiles. "I Know."


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

Bond busied himself with getting ready to re-enter the bunker. Spending time with the troops and not in medical was a mixed blessing.

Bond's soul cried out for action and his inability to help in medical spurred him to do what he was best at…action. They needed samples and he would get them as quickly as possible.

People he loves and cares for need saving…the entire bloody Island needs saving. If this is a deliberate act….and Bond's intuition says it is, there will be hell to pay once M's treated and safe.

Bond plans on taking the information 005 and 003 have accumulated and getting even. His co-workers at MI6 deserve revenge for what has happened.

If it was a country that attacked them they would be going to war.

Britain still has enemies in the terrorist community and some old longstanding hatred from the days of Empire. Someone or group planned this attack and if it's directed solely at Britain then so be it. Britain will retaliate.

If it becomes a world-wide attack, it is stupid in the extreme.

The only one to gain from mass epidemic infection were the drug companies but this spreads too damn fast. It's not airborne or they would all be infected already. Direct contact with the blood stream.

M is at risk of developing the illness and if it's transferred by scratches then in all likelihood it is fluid based. The two of them have joyously swapped enough fluids to make him a candidate for infection also.

Hell if Eve shared a drink with Tanner or Q they were all at risk.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

M sat on a bed while a technician took another blood sample to compare with yesterday's.

Dr. Scot is her liaison to the scientists. The doctor assures M that sampling from various stages will help and Dr. Scot knows who the first to receive the injections were.

"Doctor please give Bond the list of the first you injected so that he can help find them for samples. I assume that it's transferred through fluid and that it is not airborne? If it is or becomes airborne then we're all dead."

"Yes we believe the biting and scratching with saliva on the nails is what caused the infection in Eve and has put you at risk also. However, Eve's scratches were far deeper than yours but she could have shared food or drink with anyone and they are now at risk. This is where the danger lies. If she left here yesterday and inadvertently had contact with anyone…a boyfriend…we could be in real trouble."

"Then doctor lets pray that Eve didn't because we can't ask her now."

Dr. Scot left her to go to the lab tent. Tanner arrived to give M an update.

"How are you M?"

"Fine Mr. Tanner I don't think I will be transforming soon. My scratches are hopefully from another source completely. You have a report for me?"

"005 has arrived and is getting the prisoner ready for questioning."

"Good... and do you know if Eve lives alone…or has a boyfriend at all?"

"I think she lives alone, why?"

"The doctors worry that we may have corrupted the general population by leaving the compound last night."

"That would be really bad…"

"Yes, it would…did she say anything about what she did last night?"

"Not to me but we should ask Q, they were sitting together."

"Send Q in here for more testing. Tell him it is routine because of his work proximity to Eve and try to not panic the man…I don't want him to panic and not be able to do his job."

Tanner nods and leaves the tent to get Q and then go to the interview.

M looks over to the table that Eve's strapped down to, in the far corner of the tent and then to William who is closer.

M climbs down off the bed and goes over to William. He is in a drugged sleep, at with a large bandage over his neck where Eve bit him.

M moves to his right side and takes his hand in hers. This is how she was when Mallory arrived to join her at her vigil.

"How are you doing M?"

"Fine…I'm more worried for them…"

"Poor Eve…at least dad has not changed…"

"I know…I do not want anything to happen to him."

"He cares for you M, I think he wanted to possibly marry you."

M looks shocked at this remark. "Really…I never…I could never marry again. After my husband passed…even before that... I knew I would only ever marry once."

"Father loves to jump into things and do things that no one expects him to do. He hates predictability. What about a relationship? You are not opposed to relationships clearly."

"No…I never really expected another serious or frivolous relationship after my husband died. I was just too wrapped up in work to think about it. Not to mention too damn old and stubborn."

Mallory laughs. "M you protest age as an excuse but you have Bond. I saw the difference in your comfort level with each other this morning. I take it he took his body guarding duty very seriously last night."

M looked down at William and their entwined hands, pausing before answering.

"That is none of your concern Mallory and my private time is just that…private. If you visit a brothel it is none of my concern unless it interferes with your job and that is the concern of your supervisors not me."

"I am just concerned for you M. Bond is a philanderer and has to seduce marks as part of his job…are you willing to share your lover? With my father you would never have to worry about that because he's smitten with you and would never stray."

"Don't you think I know this! He assures me that he can do the job without taking it that far and I trust him. That is all I am willing to say on the subject Gareth."

Q and Tanner enter with Dr. Scot.

"So far there are no indicators that the you or Q carry the infection. You will have to stay here within the confines of the tents and there will be a medic placed in every tent incase anyone has an episode like Eve."

"Good, Tanner and Q follow me and we will meet with 005 and question his prisoner."

M nods at Mallory taking one last look at William as his son takes up her spot on his right side. M has the most overwhelming feeling of guilt about William.

If Bond had been away for another month the relationship she had with William could have been much more evolved. It would have hurt James but he would have lived with it. Or would he have interfered?

What's done is done...M will attempt to enjoy what time she has left on this planet with a young lover or not...in the long run it matters little but that she enjoyed herself given the chance.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

M, Tanner, Q and 005 sit across the table from an average looking man with a scar across his forehead.

M did not want to have him pay much attention to her and allowed 005 and Tanner to conduct the interview while she pretended became a secretary off to the side with Q. This allows her time to study the prisoner.

Mr. Gills body language does show fear but that could be do to his proximity to the zone of infection. The drug was deliberately sent to MI6 and it was him that altered the drug along with a small team that died in the fire.

The organization that paid him was a shell corporation that Q quickly tracked down and had ties to both Silva's organization and their old nemesis Quantum.

There is no cure but for a lesser sentence Gills is willing to tell the scientists what he did.

Tanner asks him to write a few things down about the process to prove his involvement and then quickly takes it to the lab. M stands and 005 and Q join her away from Gills.

"005 do you think he is genuine?"

"Yes ma'am. Do you need me to continue here or do you want me back out in the field?"

"I think for the time being you will have to stay here. We are now conducting an odd sort of quarantine, all that arrive must stay here…until this mess gets sorted out or it becomes worse."

"What if it does get worse ma'am? The entire country is at risk."

"I know 005. Mr. Mallory has been in constant contact with the PM and there's option of completely cutting Britain off from the rest of the world."

Q pipes up, "we will create pockets of healthy people I assume…so we can continue to work on the problem."

"Yes, Q we will never stop until a cure is found or we will have to kill them and burn them preventing further spreading of the disease. Right now all we can do is work on the science angle and hope that they come up with some good news."

005 frowns and looks at the prisoner. "Do you want to ask him anything else ma'am?"

"Yes I think I will…shall we."

The three go back to the table with M now sitting in the middle directly across from Gills. Gills eyebrows raise in a questioning way.

"Mr. Gills, why did you do this? I don't want to hear about money, basic avarice is not plausible for a man a science. Is Quantum holding loved ones?"

"So you're not a secretary after all…very misleading. I assume that you are high up in the government then. I did it for the money and because I could do it…science has never been reward enough for my ego, madame. However, I was not aware of the target…my reward was a villa in Italy that I received as payment. That is where I was travelling to when this thug picked me up."

"No, Mr. Gills I am not a secretary and how is it transmitted and do you think it is curable?"

"It is not airborne that is too dangerous. It is in the medication itself so injection is the first method but then it's transferred by fluid exchange. I am not sure if you can find a cure but protection in the form of an inoculation is possible."

"You will aid in the cure and then we will deal with you. If you do not give this task your utmost attention and drive, I will make sure you suffer worse than whatever 005 did to you during your apprehension. First I would like all the names and or code names of the people within Quantum that you were in contact with…times places, bank account transfers anything and everything. 005 will over see this and when our scientists ask you a question your better bloody well have the answer. Have I made my self clear Mr. Gills?"

"Yes…clear…very clear."

Gills looks nervously at the intense scowl on 005's face and swallows deeply.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

M and Q get up and leave to go back to command. Meeting Tanner on the way.

"Mr. Tanner go in and take this information from Gills and send it to 003 and 008 to track down any people on that list in Europe.  Contact our other 00's for the rest of the world.  This gets first priority and they cannot come home yet...have them get any they find to a safe house and we will conduct future interviews by computer."

"Yes ma'am." Tanner goes off to join 005.

Q asks M as they walk, "don't you have to go to medical again, M?"

"I will go back later but as long there are witnesses around to see if my behaviour degrades to that of one of the creatures…until then, I think I can still work. I want to see Bond's mission with the rest of you."

M hopes Bond will be successful and not get himself into any trouble…damn…he will it is in his nature to take risks and now that he believes she is in danger he'll be even more wantonly destructive.

M hopes that London can survive the next few hours…this could be worse than the Blitz. James Bond and a bunker full of Zombies…

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Bond and the men enter the bunker from exit 2...the same exit he used to get the med team out. The cold hit him as they enter.

There are some bodies on the floor with in the first 10 meters. These were the ones he had to deal with and they were all dead with bullet holes to the head.

To men dragged them out the exit and called for medical to come claim them. They were not going to harm anyone anymore and needed identification.

The group cautiously worked their way around floor 2. "There are three dead ones in Q branch that office over there."

Bond pointed and a group cut off to go retrieve more of the departed.

They came across a large group of the creatures next. They grouped together searching for warmth. Bond speaks into his helmet mic. "Careful... they have slowed but they are still dangerous."

The zombies were moving very slowly. Most were on the ground practically frozen. The men surrounded the group and began moving towards them. The team needs to cynch-belt each zombie pinning their arms to their sides and then drag them to the underground garage for study.

The troops managed the first group and sent the eight out each with their own guard. Bond's team heads off to find some more before meeting the returning members of the team.

After an hour they had managed to corral the second sub-level floor of MI6. Before exiting and regrouping the broke off into smaller teams and did a check of every corner of the floor, every office, closet and cabinet in the hopes that an uninfected person could be found.

Bond traveled with a Jenkins and Smith when one fell out of a cleaning closet on the two of them. The men screamed in surprise and Bond grabbed the creature from its suit jacket and pulled it off them while closing a belt around it.

Bond sent Jenkins, out with their new friend and continued sweeping the floor with Smith.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

M and Q are observing the operation in the bunker when a panicked Tanner enters the tent.

"M we have a problem."

"Other than diseased zombies running around our office...please tell me it hasn't got into the general population."

"The Americans...they're here. There are two agents of the CIA waiting in the military command tent and insist on seeing you now. Mallory is in there with them as a representative of the PM on the matter."

"Oh really. Well Mr. Tanner it's time for me to have tea and a meal...so they can wait seeing as they have now barged in on a quarantine zone and have no where else to go."

Q smirked at Tanner and chuckled.

"Yes ma'am. I will tell them but you know how much they like to listen. Colonel Fraser and Mallory have already disarmed them and told them they are not allowed to leave. They are not very happy."

"Well neither am I and they will bloody well wait patiently or confine them in a room full of dead zombies so they can bloody well see what we've dealt with for the last few days."

Tanner leaves as a private enters tea and sandwiches for Q and M. The two eat in relative silence as they watch the monitor and the team inside the building.

The parking garage is a hub of activity as the zombies and medical teams meet to get samples. So far the scientific team has comprised a theory for treatment and will begin testing ASAP.

M continues looking at the images representing the team and wonders how James is doing.

Once finished there is no longer any reason to delay the inevitable M and Q get ready to deal with the CIA.

"Q I want a recording of every interaction between us and the Americans."

"I have the device here for you ma'am. It is on me in this button. Just give me a signal when you want it stopped."

"You will stay with me in all interactions...if they question anything you are my new bodyguard."

Q smiled. "Bond and now me ma'am...you're really having problems having a bodyguard work well for you."

M thought fondly of Bond carrying her into her house last night and the lovely dinner.  The sex was fantastic and if their world wasn't going to hell she would have had a smile on her face the entire day.

M started laughing. "Q you have no idea the work out I put my bodyguards through..."


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

M enters the command tent and nods to Colonel Fraser. She does not need to wait long before the CIA representatives approach her.

Q stands diligently at M's side as they approach. M smiles in recognition when she sees agent Felix Leiter extend his hand.

"M, It is good to finally meet you in person. Bond speaks of you often."

"I'm sure he does…and you still wanted to meet me."

"Of coarse…anyone that can keep that one in line is my kind of lady."

The other agent inserts himself in the conversation. "M, my name is agent Craig and we are here because your government is being less than forthcoming about what is going on in MI6."

"Mr. Craig you have no one to blame but yourselves for being trapped here in quarantine with us. If you had just waited until the PM felt it necessary to tell your government then it would have saved you a lot of trouble."

Craig was getting pissed at being treated like a second class person by the snooty British broad…how can they let an old woman run an organization like this and why the hell should they conform to their rules!

"OUR, government and yours have a longstanding relationship of cooperation…"

"YES, but we did not want to start a panic internationally…we have it contained and are working towards a solution. Make yourselves comfortable because you are guests of her majesty's army now."

Felix guides his frustrated partner away from M before he says something too offensive.

"Calm down man…It's not like they planned a disaster. Have a little respect man, she's not some government lackey or secretary…she's the head of MI6. You wouldn't talk to the head of our organization like that and expect to continue working."

"That old broad can't do anything to me and since when do we need schooling by the Brits in anything since 1776. I will leave anytime I damn well want and the CIA or the US army may just have to come in here and clean this up properly…they hardly have anyone here…we could have hundreds of troops here within the hour and clear that place out in a jiff."

Felix is getting pissed the arrogant prick is talking loud enough for all to hear and M is standing there with her arms crossed and scowl on her attractive face.

James always said she was something else, but he never mentioned how attractive she is for an older woman.

M was impatient…sometimes dealing with the Americans gave her a head ache but today she could not just hang up the phone.

"If you're done planing the take over of an ally and sovereign nation that has not been successfully invaded since 1066, we will take you to medical so you can see what we are dealing with. Then you will contact your government and tell them what you see. NO ONE will come in contact with our small group because we are attempting to contain a possible PANDEMIC! DO I MAKE MYSELF CLEAR?"

Craig scowls and Felix smirks. "No problem at all ma'am…we will do what ever you need us too to help…just give us the word and we will make sandwiches for the troops."

"Thank you Mr. Leiter. Mr. Craig if you would like to follow us we will take you for your answers…unless you can offer me a better way to walk to medical that is. I would hate for you to feel overwhelmed with an old woman's directional ability. We Brits have always had difficulty navigating the globe after all…without the USA we wouldn't Know were North America was at all, would we?"

M turns and stomps out followed quickly by Tanner and Q, leaving a smiling Colonel and his staff and a red-faced CIA agent in her wake.

Felix turns to Craig. "Did no one ever tell you never to twist the lion's tail mate?"

Craig looks blankly back at him. "What the hell do lions have to do with her?"

"Did you have history books in the school you went to?"

"What ever…lets follow and make our report."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Bond and the troops had moved the infected from two floors to the garage. Medical personal were moving through the zombies taking images and samples handing them off to runners to the tents outside.

So far everything is going fine. Bond has had to remind them a few times to be gentle with them in the hopes that they can be returned to normal.

They were on the last floor and James remembered that there was likely more of the drug in medical so he headed there as the others finished clearing the last floor.

James entered medical looking around for all the vials of any medication he could find. He gathered everything in a plastic bin marked for hazardous waste.

There's broken equipment all over…this place needs proper decontamination. Bond uses his mic to message out to command.

"I've picked up some vials of medication but medical is a mess with smashed…everything. We are going to need a decontamination crew and a plan for cleaning this up."

Colonel Fraser acknowledging the report and begins to organize the next mission.

"I'm coming out now and bringing this to medical…have them ready to receive and take precautions."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

M, Tanner and Q guide the American agents into the tent where the doctors are treating Mallory and Eve.

They are completely blown away from what they see. Craig video tapes it and emails it back to Virginia.

M, Tanner and Q join Gareth by William. "How is he doing Gareth?"

"No change….are the Americans giving you trouble?"

"Not, really but keeping them here may involve cuffing Craig to a guard. Mr. Lieter is a friend of James' and far more amicable."

Tanner asks Mallory. "The PM is not going to budge on the quarantine until this is over is he?"

Mallory answers. "No, not a chance."

Q adds. "Once they see the evidence they will have to see reason. What if they demand samples for testing themselves?"

M scoffs. "Over my dead body."

Mallory smirks "Not even tempted M?"

M looks at him shocked at the assumption she would deliberately infect North America just because of one rude agent.

"No, Mr. Mallory…I could never do that…I could never willfully harm Canada. You know how the Queen feels about the Commonwealth."

Tanner and Mallory laugh and Q grins but straightens his expression when he sees Craig and Leiter approach.

Craig looks smugly at the group as Felix stand beside him looking uncomfortable after seeing what this desease has done to these people.

"Our superiors would like the copies of the medical information and a sample for our own to test."

Tanner blurts out. "Are you mad!"

Q adds. "American doctors…scientists from around the world are working via computer on this…surely your government can and will get a report from them."

M levels a glare at the man. Craig has the decency to begin to feel uncomfortable under M's intense gaze.

M can see him start to doubt himself and his ability to get out of this tent let alone out of the country.

At this moment James arrives to see a stand-off taking place. M seems to have someone in her laser like stare…hate to be in his shoes.

Bond walks up beside a distracted Felix and nudges him with his elbow. "Hey Felix…who's the dead man?"

Felix smirks. "My new partner Craig…nice to see you in normal human form James. You said she was something…I now see why you don't want to get on her bad side. What you failed to mention was how hot your boss is."

James smiles. "Well, if everyone in your organization knew they would all want to defect. I mean the CIA is all run by old military men…how boring."

"If my boss was as interesting as yours I would never leave the country for a mission…a rewarding desk job would be a treat."

M holds her hand up to silence Craig's protests. "Enough! It is not going to happen. The PM has ordered this quarantine and there is no way any samples of this infection will survive after this. We will be incinerating everything to prevent spread of this."

Mallory interjects. "This was a direct attack on Great Britain not the US and we have contained it! The idea of allowing any of this to survive is asinine. Our government will not allow it and I will contact the PM now and have him call the President at once."

Mallory leaves the tent and heads back to command. Craig still looks miffed and turns away from M and walks over to Felix and James.

Felix introduces them. "How do you work for that bitch?"

M and Tanner are speaking to the doctor that is looking after the senior Mr. Mallory, when they're distracted by a commotion.

The doctor runs forward as agent Craig lies incapacitated on the ground of the tent.

M looks at James who she had noticed arrived earlier, but allowed him time to catch up with agent Leiter.

M could tell by James' expression that Craig had insulted her honour. What was she going to do about him?

How does James think they can keep their relationship secret if he does things like this?

Still, M can't seem to whip the smile off her face as he turns to look at her.

James looks towards M after knocking the jackass to the floor. James' blinded by his rage at the CIA agent's insult.

Bond looks into M's eyes and his concern lifts at the sight of her beautifully amused face.

God he loves this woman and he can barely keep from picking her up in his arms and ravishing her in front of the zombies, doctors, coworkers and the CIA.


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16

"Bond! Come here now….Doctor could you please deal with our poor American friend. Mr. Leiter if you could please assist your colleague. Q you can stand down as my bodyguard and join Tanner in doing something productive."

Everyone jumped to do as commanded and M stormed out of the medical tent and headed to the mess. It was near empty and those inside left immediately when they took one look at the expression on the head of MI6's face.

M quickly made some tea and took a muffin from a tray. Bond stood quietly behind her…very closely behind her. So close she could feel the comforting warmth radiating from his wonderful body.

A shiver involuntarily crawled up her spine as M closed her eyes to the mental image of him between her legs this morning….damn him!

Bond smirks as he watches M try to rein control of her emotions as she sways slightly on her feet…unless she is getting ill…oh god…panic is setting in.

"M are you all right? You're not feeling ill… are you?"

M looks at him with a violent glare and Bond releases the breath that he hadn't realized he was holding.

"I would rather have you yell at me than say nothing."

"Why does it alway have to get to that point 007. Now we have to be extra careful if we want to keep our jobs so stop hitting the insulting American."

"Oh… but he called you a bitch."

"So what…I am one and I am proud of it. It means I get things done better than a man…that is all it has ever meant to me. I will deal with him and by the time I am though he will be sitting at a desk for the next year…somewhere unpleasant. Words can only hurt if you let them or they come from someone you care for…you of all people should know that by now."

"I think you did teach me that fairly recently. I am having a hard time getting the hang of this…being the little thing you have going on the side."

"Does it bother you that much…I'm an old woman…and you…"

"What…I what M?"

"You are a handsome younger man who others will think I paid for your adoration…I find that revolting and degrading for both of us."

"I want to shout our love from the rooftops but it embarrasses you…nice and here I thought you were a tough old broad that didn't give a damn about appearances."

"Don't start this now…I care and have always cared about appearances…it has been part of my success for the last 20 years…do you think I could have kept this job had I slept with any politicians or committee members over the years…no they would have labeled me a whore and found a way to toss me out. This is the curse that women in my position face. As I said before…ice cold bitch is better than whore. Rumours of my infidelity used to swirl but I clamp them down quickly with a few well placed calls. It is amazing how a man will shut up about my abilities in bed once an MI6 agent is found enjoying tea in his sitting room with his family when he returns home."

"I bet. Your abilities are something else...Arggh...sorry M..I don't want to fight…I want to take you somewhere private and have my wicked way with you. I keep replaying our night together and…well you can imagine."

"Yes well, we have bigger things to worry about Bond and then we will deal with our physical problems."

"I hate being this close to you and not be able to touch you…even casually. Being your bodyguard is a pleasure and a curse all at the same time."

M finished her snack. "Shall we go visit the American agents before or after I speak to their boss?"

"I think after…I alway like to have you fully armed with both barrels…Felix hasn't seen half of it yet and he admires the half he has already seen. Felix thinks you're hot and that desk duty with you for a boss would be a pleasure."

M laughs and walks to the command tent. "Q have you sent the recording to the head of the CIA?"

"Yes ma'am and he is standing by to hear from you at your convenience."

"First, Mr. Tanner what is the news from Downing Street?"

"Mr. Mallory has informed me that the PM was irate by the request of our American friends and has called the President. Any military or subversive action taken against us will be seen as an attack on our sovereignty and be an outright attack."

"In other words war with the Americans… our allies and the current super power on the planet…wonderful. Let us hope cooler heads prevail and the CIA director and the President see the error of their plan and let us get back to work."

"On screen Q."

"Hello director."

_Ahh…M sorry to hear about your troubles and very sorry for the actions of my agent Craig. Agent Craig will be reprimanded as soon as they return stateside. Please let agent Leiter he is now in charge for me will you. I could send a message but I think you would rather do it by the look on your face._

"Quite right…almost as much as I enjoyed seeing my agent knock him unconscious. We are looking after him in medical now. As for anything leaving this quarantine it won't happen. I'm sure my PM has spoken to your President and it does not have to go past the casual threat stage."

_Yes…we will let you get back to work and please keep us apprised of any changes._

"We will Mr. director."

M and Bond leave to attend to the Americans with Gareth Mallory.

Agent Craig is awake and none too happy by the look of him.  "Come back to get in another sucker punch? I'll be ready for it this time."

Felix frowns. "Craig shut it for a moment and let the lovely lady talk."

"Thank you Mr. Leiter. Mr. Craig you've been suspended and Mr. Leiter is in charge. You will have to stay with us until the quarantine's lifted and your mission to take a sample is cancelled by order of our PM and your President."

"Yes ma'am…we understand…don't we Craig."

Craig did not look happy as he replied through clenched teeth. "Of coarse your…highness."

Bond scowled at him and took a step forward towards the man.

Craig held up his hands in submission and a cry was heard from the other side of the tent.

William Mallory had regained consciousness and struggled to sit up. Gareth ran to him as a nurse attended him.

M followed Mallory to William's bedside. A doctor came in and started to look at him.

Gareth spoke. "Doctor?"

"He hasn't changed…Mr. Mallory please calm down, you're injured and we needed to keep you sedated and under observation."

"M… are you all right? Gareth?"

"We're fine dad…M is fine also. It was Eve that bit you."

"You can get up slowly Mr. Mallory and take it easy."

They help him to his feet and William smiles at the accomplishment. "I'm starving lad…were can we get breakfast?"

"I will take you."

"I think I would rather have the lovely lady, M…care to join me for a meal?"

M smiled and took his arm that he held out to her. "I would like that."

They headed out followed by Bond and Gareth. William turned and looked at them. "Private affair boys."

"I am her bodyguard and cannot leave her side."

"I'm sure you are…well you can follow and the two of you stay at another table."

The four entered the tent as the chief research doctor and Dr. Scot from MI6 rushed in with some news.

"The first trial on the stage secondary infection zombies has shown some improvement. The people who received the shot directly, the primarily infected are not improving."

Dr. Scot added. "Eve is making progress. We have immunizations ready…we need to test it on you Mr. Mallory. You could become infected by your injury within the next 6 hours so would you please roll up you sleeve for us."

William obliged and they injected his arm. "So now if I don't start trying to eat people I will be able to leave?"

"No dad, we have to stay here until the all clear has been given."

"Let us sit and eat in the mean time." William pulled a chair out for M.

Mallory went to the canteen to fill a tray of food. Gareth went with him to help get some sandwiches and drinks.

Bond frowned standing behind M's chair. "I think I should stay with you ma'am…what if he changes?"

"Bond…please don't make a scene."

"I don't like him touching you…your mine."

M whispers under her breath. "Bond! Enough…you do not own me and do not…I repeat do not make a scene."

"Fine!" Bond goes up to the counter and takes a tray of food and heads to a table across the room. He flops down in his seat so that he can watch M and William.

Felix enters the tent and comes to join Bond at his table. Bond acknowledges him with a nod but keeps his eyes riveted on M.

"So how is life other that the zombie apocalypse?"

"Fine."

"Fine? A rumour went around that last year that someone tried to kill M."

"Yes."

"Ok…really nice having this chat James…nice to catch up."

Felix notices that Bond's gaze did not leave the table where M sat with the older gentleman that was lying in medical earlier.

"I'm going to get some food to you want anything else?"

"No…thank you."

"Wow more than one word…I thought you Brits were known for having a flare for this language."

"Harumphh."

"I think I may join Gareth Mallory and Tanner."

"Uhh ha."

Felix shakes his head and joins Mallory and Tanner, after grabbing a tray from the line and something to eat.

"Is there something going on here that I am not picking up on? James is usually a man of few words but he cannot even form sentences now. He is taking this bodyguard thing very seriously."

Mallory shifts in his seat and both Tanner and Felix notice his change in demeanour. Tanner has tried to piece together what has gone on since Bond returned and M called late one night to have him tailed.

Mallory knows what is going on. Tanner figures it has something to do with his father dating M.

"M and Mr. Mallory Sr. have seen each other socially and he became trapped in the bunker with us when the craziness started."

Mallory spoke up. "Please let us not reduce ourselves to common gossip."

Tanner looks at the man. "Easy for you to say sir…you know what is going on the rest of us have to live with the repercussions."

Mallory frowns at Tanner outburst. "Fine but if either of you…"

"We won't." Felix and Tanner say in unison leaning in towards the table.

"Ahh well, from what I can gather Bond has spent a lot of time with M outside the office since…Skyfall."

"Skyfall?"

Tanner whispers to Felix. "Terrorists destroyed Bond's family home while he tried to keep the crazed ex-agent from killing M. Silva's men shot M and she almost died in Bond's arms but we arrived to get her to medical."

Felix was really intrigued. "Ok so they became close…how close."

Tanner looked confused. "I didn't know it was going on…Mallory?"

"I cannot say how close, but not physical or M would not have gone out with my father. I introduced M to my father over a month ago thinking the two of them would hit it off. They did but Bond returned from a mission and was waiting for her in her home when the two of them arrived…for...a nightcap."

Tanner and Felix nodded and smiled knowingly.

"Dad thought he was her son. M didn't correct him and dad invited them for dinner…which he later invited me too. M was very uncomfortable at dinner and absolutely stunning. I promised not to tell dad unless he asked directly, but the old man is more perceptive then I gave him credit for and he asked me the next day. That is when I called you Tanner. Dad was furious and wanted to find out where he stood."

"So that is why the two of you were there. So what is going on between M and Bond." Tanner asked.

Mallory continued. "I think Bond may have believed he was in a relationship with her but she did not realize the intensity of his feelings. M protests that a woman of her age would be of no interest to younger men."

Felix looks at Gareth. "What...damn she's a stone cold fox and I think it is fairly obvious…Bond's obsessed with her…look at the way he is staring at the table."

Tanner shakes his head. "Eve mentioned something about it to me before she changed…I thought she was nuts…those two fight like angry cats at times."

Mallory got up to leave. "I would not elaborate any more if I were either of you. It is private and for them to sort out…I have already been warned and chastised by all three parties to prevent any further involvement by me."

Mallory nodded his goodbye and left the tent.

Tanner stayed with Felix. "I think Gareth put the moves on M. The two of them were trapped for hours in her office...we could see it on the thermal imaging recording. This should make work a very interesting place."

Felix blurts out a laugh. "More interesting than zombies!"

Tanner smiled. "Yes…more interesting than even zombies."


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17

William brings food to the table as the others disperse around the room to give them some privacy.

"You look much better William. How do you feel?"

"I feel hungry and a tad woozy but fine. How about you and poor Eve?"

"They are trying something on Eve and we hope for good results. Unfortunately, the people injected with the serum are not getting better."

"When will we get to leave?"

"The PM will decide that with the military on our advisement."

"So have you thought about us at all. I remember a series of apologies at the café before whatever happened to me. What are you doing with Bond or about him?"

M frowns wondering for a second if William has guessed that she and James had crossed the line and become lovers.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean will you put him in his place. The man is stubborn and has to see the sense of thing eventually. I mean the idea of you and him is rather ludicrous.  M I feel very drawn to you and I'm not going to give up my pursuit of you….hell, if he had not shown up that night the two of us would have been lovers by now."

"William…James and I have a history together…he has saved my life and he…feels strongly for me…I"

"But the age difference…we are so better suited to each other. How could you even go out publicly with him. According to Gareth he has to seduce woman as part of his work…he could be diseased for christ sake."

"William…enough I think one disease is enough for me to concentrate on right now."

"Look at the way he stares at you from across the room. Does it not make you feel uncomfortable?  He is a hired thug and a killer after all."

"Yes, he is but he does it out of loyalty for Queen and country not for kicks. I am part of this world too…if it offends your sensibilities there will be no chance of even a friendly relationship between us."

M looks down into her mug of tea and looks up to see Bond's eyes bore into hers from across the room. Tanner, Gareth and Felix are deep in conversation about something…likely them.

M leans forward and palms her head in her hands. When will this head ache end?

"I will not give up M…I want you more than I have any other woman…even my wife. You are exciting and stubbornly beautiful and I want to marry you, if you will have me?"

M turns to look at him and her jaw drops. Gareth had warned her that this might be the case.

"William…I….I…don't.."

Sudden alarms should and shouts are heard. Everyone stands and before she even realizes what is happening James is at her side with his arm around her.

An officer burst into the tent. "We need you in command ma'am!"

They hustle out of the tent after the officer and meet Q in the command tent.

M approaches the Colonel. "What is it?"

"Our unpleasant American visitor has disappeared and taken the scientist responsible for the virus with him…he has broken quarantine. We were thinking agent Bond should be on the case."

"Yes…Bond, are you ready?"

"It will only take me a moment…Felix you're with me. M you will need a bodyguard. Where is 005?"

"He was watching our drug chemist."

Tanner speaks up. "005 is unconscious in medical M. I will watch her Bond."

The two Mallory's stand on either side of M and William places his arm around her protectively. "We will all stay here with her in command."

Bond frowns at William but realizes he has to get to work. Felix and Bond both take ear pieces from Q and head out on the chase.

M looks at Tanner. "Mr. Tanner could you go to medical and get me an update on the immunization, Eve and 005?"

"Ma'am…but I promised...I'm your guard."

"I'm surrounded by the military I'm as safe as I can get with zombies in the next tent."

Tanner nods and leaves to get M the information that she requested.

William is still holding her and leans down to whisper in her ear. "Why don't we find somewhere for you to lie down and we can get some rest."

M looks at him shocked. "William…I have work to do!"

It is now getting late in the evening and they have been there since 8:00. It does not change that she needs to supervise this disaster.

However she is feeling really fatigued suddenly, as if the mere suggestion he gave her is tugging at her consciousness.

William tightens his hold on her and pulls her head to rest on his shoulder. Gareth is on the phone with the military and William begins to guide M out of the tent.

"Where are you taking me?" M's voice sounds strange to even herself.

"I'm taking you away from the chaos my dear. You will be safe in my arms."

"James? He will….he will…mad…for leaving."

"So it has gotten to calling him James now."

"James…I want James."

"Well, my dear he does not want you. He told me that I was to take care of you now."

"Tired…where is he? Why…why… did you do…this…what…in…the tea."

William guided her to a car and laid her in the backseat. He quickly avoided a patrol guard and climbed in to the driver's seat. Started the car and drove past the guard station stopping to tell them to take it up with his son who was talking to the PM at this very moment.

M was still conscious but barely able to speak. She wanted to scream to the guards, but nothing would emerge from her stubborn mouth.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Tanner returns to command with the report that M requested. Where is M?

"Mr. Mallory, where is M?"

"What…Oh she was standing just over there a second ago with my father."

A call came in and Mallory answered it. "WHAT! NO he did not have permission to leave! Was there a woman with him?"

The Colonel, Q and Tanner were standing looking at him when he hung up the phone.

"It appears that my father has stolen a car and broken quarantine also. They did not see M but she could have been in the vehicle."

Tanner opened the file he had from medical. "The doctors have noticed some side effects from the shot given to Eve and some of the others. Although Eve has become more her human self she exhibits very aggressive tendencies. Eve has attempted coercion and seduction of the staff. She is trying to get someone to remove her bonds."

Q looks concerned. "So they are manipulative and determined towards a goal. Will they get over this?"

"The doctors do not know yet…too many variables. but the medical improvement of the zombies turning back to human form is lauded as a huge triumph. Maybe we should go talk to Eve and see if she is responsive to our question."

Mallory frowned. "My father's enamoured with M and he wanted to get her alone…please send someone to my home and hers just to see if they are there and bring them back."

Colonel Fraser agreed and made the order.

Q leaned in to whisper to Tanner. "Are we going to tell Bond?"

Tanner shook his head. "Not yet. Bond's got an important mission to carry out so unless he asks…"

"I don't like this…what if Mallory hurts her?"

"Christ…I hope it doesn't come to that…I'm her bodyguard. I will be the first one Bond kills."

At that moment 005 came into command looking for M.

Tanner walked up to him and pulled him into the corner with Q. "005, there is a development that needs your attention if you feel well enough?"

Q and Tanner gave the frowning agent the details. 005 agreed with them about not telling Mallory anything and he went to get some supplies to slip out of quarantine and find M.

It seems to 005 that he should have 007's job but Bond has a head start on him not to mention is not suffering from being knocked out for 10 minutes. Luckily he is not suffering too many ill side effects from the blow.

Q gives him the addresses his is to check more thoroughly than the military men that Mallory has posted outside the two residences.

Q is casually using computer algorithms and facial recognition from the cities camera systems to find them and the car.

Tanner goes to visit Eve. She looks better with colour back in her cheeks and a mysterious smile on her face.

"Tanner could you be a dear and get me some water?"

"Certainly Eve."

Tanner brings a glass to her.

"It would be so much better darling if you could untie my arms so that I could drink it easier."

Tanner looks in her eyes and sees a passing moment of malice behind them. "No Eve there is a straw for a reason."

Eve's face contorts into a cruel mask. Eve's usually attractive feminine features altar as she screams. "DO IT NOW!"

Tanner recoils from her outburst and begins to worry for M. Hopefully the differences in the medication that they used on Mr. Mallory will present itself as a less violent side effect.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Bond and Felix are sprinting outside London to the countryside and towards an old military airforce base. Q has directed them to this particular air field as a possibly having a private jet for the escaped prisoner.

Bond's very intense and gripping the wheel of the car as he accelerates to a speed that Felix feel uncomfortable with.

"Woah…man slow it down a little will you. I know that this adventure is a little on the crazy side but that should not include this ride. We have the country locked down…Virginia knows what is going on…we just have to apply some logic and we will find the son of a bitch."

"This will get us there faster…the faster the better. I need to get back."

"Yes…I know…you have a very important body to guard."

Bond looks at Felix intently.

"Don't look at me that way James it is plain for everyone to see that your boss is far more than a boss to you. I can honestly say…I see why but you are not thinking with the right head now mate."

"I know how to do this job…I happen to be very good at it."

"No insult intended James but lets not get killed just trying to reach their plane before they can leave the country."

James decreases his speed as they crest the rise before the air field below. Felix gets his gun ready as James leaves the road to drive through the field towards the tail end of the airstrip Q had guided them to.

James rams the gate with the land rover and heads to the air strip. They accelerate towards the hanger as a small private jet begins rolling towards the strip. Felix leans out the window of the vehicle and shoot at the cockpit and then the wheels of the plane.

Felix successfully hits the wheels and the plane stops. They circle the plane and stop suddenly jumping out quickly to wait for the ramp to descend. When it doesn't Bond heads to the wheel compartment to try to squeeze his way though.

Bond manages to gain entrance and moves through the crawl space to see a frantic Craig and the chemist pacing the plane. James drops from the crawl space and knocks Craig down. He holds his gun on them and orders the cabin steward to open the door.

Felix climbs on board and handcuffs Craig. Bond hoists the chemist up and they toss them in the back of the land rover.

Felix begins questioning and Bond takes the wheel to head back to London. "So you were headed for Italy…what is in Italy for two scum bags like you?"

"My luxury home and a better life. This country is done if my masterpiece does it's work."

Bond spoke. "Who paid you to make the disease?"

"An organization did."

"Quantum?"

"How did you…"

"A Mr. White and I are old friends. I gave him a limp for trying to kill someone…in my organization once."

"That would explain why MI6 was the direct target. I was not told the target…I never would have risked it if I had."

Felix asks him. "Why the hell would you make something that could destroy the world?"

"Actually it will dissipate after a week…but there are differing side effects in treatment. Some megalomania, some become sexually obsessed with gratifying their deepest desires. Chaos is the outcome."

Felix looks shocked. "So the zombies will begin to turn back on their own?"

"Yes and just think of the military applications…a sort of mind control for a while. The blasted side effects however are the downfall. The bitten become obsessive, prone to violent out burst and obsessive behaviour unlike their normal civilized selves. This was the wild card factor, good for causing mayhem but bad for controlling an infected population."

Bond clenched his teeth. "So what you are saying to us is that they will eventually recover but until it is out of their system even the ones that seem treated and healed will be a danger to those around them."

"Yes…they will act for their own selfish gratification and hurt anyone that gets in their way."

Bond touches his ear. "Q did you get all that?"

"Yes, Bond and there is something we need to tell you…M's gone missing…William took her."

"What!"

Tanner spoke from beside Q. "005 is chasing down some leads and is on the case. Bond, Colonel Fraser want you back here ASAP with the prisoners."

"Damn it Tanner!"

"I know...just get back here fast."


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18

Bond and Felix dragged the two escapees into command.

Tanner swallowed deeply as he saw the look on Bond's face as he stormed over to him.

"YOU said you would watch her!"

"I know…005 is here and he has an update on the search."

Tanner, Q, Mallory, 005 and Colonel Fraser stood on one side of the tent while the guards and Felix stayed with the prisoners.

005 began his report. "I found no evidence that M's been to her home or Mallory's so where would he take her, Mr. Mallory?"

Mallory frowned. "I don't know but maybe to the house I grew up in…it has not yet sold. Q has not found evidence of the car traveling that way out of the city. What about the car was it found?

Q spoke. "It's located by a tube station but I have watched the feeds and there is no evidence they were on the tube and if we assume she's being forced and evidence of a struggle would make it difficult for him to drag her about."

James growled under his breath. "005 can you question the prisoners and get the scientist back to work? Felix and I think Craig may still be operating under orders from Washington and that is an entirely new concern. If Quantum's mole is placed high in the command structure there and superseding orders with their own agendas."

005 nods and joins Felix to take the prisoners to another tent.

Bond looks at Tanner and Q. "Train stations, buses…anything?"

"The software takes time Bond and it is a very large city."

Q notices the beeping of his computer and goes to sit down. "I found them! The train, apparently they got on a train."

Tanner picked up a phone and began inquiring about the train and destination.

Bond tuns to Q. "I need to talk to Felix, call me when you have the destination and I will leave to go find her."

Q nods. "Do you think you should go alone?"

Bond looks deadly serious as he glances across the tent a Gareth Mallory.

"I think Mallory should come just to keep me from killing his father for taking her."

"That would be a good idea."

Bond leaves to find out what is going on with the Americans at this point.

Felix has Craig attached to a chair and 005 stands behind him and the scientist as the questions begin. Felix has a video uplink to Virginia on a laptop Q gave him to use.

The face on the screen is speaking when Bond moves closer.

_What is the meaning of this Agent Craig? You were given orders to step down and now you break a dangerous quarantine situation. Why or who put you up to this?_

"I wish to speak only to my lawyer."

005 and Bond move behind him and each put a hand on his chair. 005 is still pissed about being knocked out by Craig.

005 snarls. "Well, it is a good thing that her majesties government does not recognize the rights of terrorists."

Craig pales. "I'm an American citizen…I demand the right to…"

Bond snarls "We do not cave to your demands to any rights so make this easier on yourself. Tell us all about your connection with Quantum and who your contacts in the states are."

Craig remains stubbornly silent and Felix stands in front of him and leans down to him.

"Tell us who you're working for?"

Tanner enters the room and waves 007 & 005 over. "We think we found an overnight train that William took M on and it was heading north to Newcastle and then on to Scotland."

Bond looks at 005. "I will go to get M, you make sure everything is fine here. Any news on the medical front?"

Tanner frowns. "They have tested some new drug on Eve and are awaiting the results. The ones in the bunker are slowly improving but it could be weeks for everything to settle. The PM is meeting with all the family members today to ask them for patience and calm."

"I am going to take Mallory with me…maybe he will know why his father is taking her north."

Bond hopes M is all right. If William hurts M…in any way…his son will have to keep him from killing the bastard. If this drug has unleashed an obsessively aggressive part of William Mallory, Bond knows exactly what he wants with M….Bond wants the same thing.

M is in danger…danger of being forced…Bond does not think William would kill her but…Bond's breathing is unsteady at the thought of his M in that situation.

Tanner and 005 leave Felix to question Craig. Tanner went to medical to see on Eve's progress and Bond went to command to get Mallory and devices from Q.

"Mallory we need a helicopter to get to the train…can you get that?"

"Yes…already done, we leave in 20 min."

Q gives them both communications devices and wishes them luck.

Bond and Mallory walk to a transport outside quarantine to go meet their flight.

"Why is your father taking M north Mallory?"

"I am not sure but he did live in Newcastle in his youth…it must have something to do with it. Bond, I'm concerned about his state of mind."

Bond says in a deadly serious tone. "So am I Mallory but I'm more concerned that his state of mind will allow him to hurt M. You are here to talk him down and keep me from killing him."

Gareth Mallory paled and looked down into his hands. There is no way he could fight Bond off his father if it came to that.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

M slipped in and out of consciousness. There was a taxi and then she felt William pull her up and carry her on to a train. She heard him speak to someone about how his wife suffers from dementia and has just had surgery.

M thought his wife was dead…where is James…she wants to kiss him…hold him again. M tries to speak but it comes out as a moan.

William takes her into a room a sleeping cabin and the residual sounds disappear. M sleeps for a while and then feels a cool cloth on her face. M wakes and feels cold.

M's eyes focus on William as he uses a cloth to clean her face and neck. The cloth trails down her chest and M realizes that she is cold because William has remove her clothes.

"What…are you doing?"

"You have had a long day darling and you know how you love to take your shower at night."

M's confused by the haze of the drugs she has been given and William's assumption of her grooming habits.

M moves to sit up…gets dizzy but hits his hands away from her and makes for the water closet, gathering her clothes as she goes.

"William I don't know what you think you are doing but I am getting off at the next stop."

William growls gets up suddenly, turning her back towards him and pins her against the wall of the small cabin. William's lips captures M's as his hands caress her half-naked body. M pushes him away from her and glares at him.

"STOP! Have you gone insane?"

M moves into the W C and closes the door to relive herself and look in her pockets for a phone…anything. M dresses and opens the door to face her former boyfriend.

"Stay over there and do not touch me again."

William laughs. "Why do you think you are in control here…M? Bond left you and everyone that works on this train thinks you are my wife and have dementia. They will not do anything you say. I have wanted to get you alone for a month and now I have you."

"So you plan on taking me against my will…these are not the actions of the gentleman that I began seeing over a month ago."

"That man is still here my dear but I'm tired of not being able to compete in your world…against men like Bond. I think you react to rash impulsive behaviour…dangerous men are your thing are they not?"

"I do not!"

"I think you protest too much my dear. The danger is a turn on for you...part of your job...espionage and intrigue."

Mallory moves towards her as she glares at him preparing to defend herself. "Stay back…you do not want to do this William. I will make sure you're arrested and Bond will…"

"Bond will what…by the time he gets to us we'll be married and he will be unable to come between me and my lawful wife."

"You are insane! I will not marry you even if I'm forced to I will not stay with you!"

William becomes agitated and pulls her into his arms staring down into her oh so blue eyes.

"Why are you so…infuriatingly beautiful and stubborn…we are a perfect match. Why would a man like Bond fall in love with a woman of your age? How long could it last before you came running to me because he left you for a sexy 23-year-old blonde with fake breasts and air between her ears. I can see why the man intrigues you, Bond is a handsome bloke but see reason…I love you."

"If you truly love me you have to let me go."

"No, I don't…We will get married and you will learn to love me."

Mallory kisses her soundly as she struggles against his grasp. M brings up her knee and catches him in his groin as she pushes him on the bunk. M climbs on top of him pinning him and throwing punches as he curls into the fetal position moaning.

M puts her hands in his pockets looking for a phone and finds instead some pills. She forcefully shoves one in his mouth but he recovers enough to twist her under him as they fight for control.

William takes what is left of the drug from his mouth and shoves it into her lovely mouth clamping it shut and plugging her nose forcing her to swallow the pill.

Once he is sure M swallowed it he holds her tightly as they pant from their struggles.

"DAMN YOU! I will have you killed for this."

"Not if you want to keep your job my dear…remember my son can have you fired. Give in and we will have a lovely retirement together M."

William strokes her face and caresses her. M continues to struggle against him but he has her pinned against the wall. There is no way she is going to just allow this to happen.

Mallory kisses her again forcing his tongue in her mouth, which she bits. He pulls back with anger in his eyes.

"Stop fighting me…It will be enjoyable if you let it. The drug will take hold and you will be more relaxed and I do want to pleasure you my darling. I am a generous lover I assure you."

"NO! It will be assault no matter how you try to justify it!"

The drug is tugging at her as he continues touching her. Where the hell is Bond…she wants him not William…this is M's last conscious thought.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Bond and Mallory make it to the next station within an hour. The train's conductor is to make the unscheduled stop so that Bond and Mallory can board the train.

Bond waits impatiently mentally willing the train to hurry up. Mallory is pacing also and fatigue is setting in for both. The train will be there by 2:45 am and they have been up too long.

"When I get M we will take the helicopter back to quarantine. Call for another transport to collect you and your father. Consider that he may need subduing, here."

Bond hands Mallory some plastic zip ties to bind his father's hands. Mallory looks shocked.

"I don't think it will come to that…he will see reason."

"Did you see Eve…hear Tanner's report. Eve was swearing shouting and offering herself to get whatever she wanted…her freedom from her restraints. That is not the Eve that I know…it was almost animalistic desire that drove her. This disease and it's after effects are the ultimate weapon of chaos. Can you imagine what would happen if it had escaped into the general population?"

"I would hope that my father was strong enough to resist his baser desires. Eve had changed completely and he did not…there is still hope nothing…bad has happened."

"Time is our only hope Mallory. The time it takes for the drug to wear off and the time to get M off that train before anything bad happens to either of them."

Tanner texted Bond and he checked in. _Eve is doing much better, and so are the other infected. 005 has been instrumental in getting the co-operation of Gills in reversing the mutative properties of his drug._

Bond smirks at the thought of how 005 managed to change the man's mind…likely a few broken digits or even a foot spurred him on.

Bond sends back a text. _How are our American friends doing?_

_Felix is keeping a close eye on him with Q as they try to track down a trail to the mole._

_Good. At lest it may flush out the rats in the CIA._

_003 has found another trail of the drug in Europe and I have ordered him to search and destroy._

Bond feels relieved that it's solving itself with time and research. Maybe life can continue back to normal once the zombie disease is dealt with. The impact it will have on those that changed may take a while to recover from…poor Eve.

The train arrives and Bond jumps on before it even comes to a complete stop. Q and Tanner have the cabin number and he quickly runs through the first car and into the second.

Bond finds the number and kicks in the door. All he can see is Mallory's back to him in the bunk. Bond flicks on the light. Mallory stirs from his sleep and Bond hears Gareth running down the hall.

Bond pulls Mallory out of the bunk letting the man fall to the floor. He gently reaches for his target pulling her into his arms. M and Mallory are both still clothed and unconscious. Bond spies a pill on the floor as Gareth attempts to wake his father.

"There are drugs on the floor…grab it will you Mallory."

Mallory complies, hands the pill to Bond and goes to get some water to toss a bit at his father.

Bond sits on the bunk a moment to look over M, who's cradled in his arms. Her pulse is steady and her breathing fine. Bond kisses her forehead, stands and leaves the cabin without a glance or word for Mallory who is beginning to wake up in front of his son.

As Bond stands outside the door he hears a desperate William. "Don't let him take her away from me son…"

Bond growls wanting nothing more than to return to the cabin and shoot the man in the head for taking his…M…his future…away from him.

Bond carries M through the corridor and out to the platform. He ignores the stares he receives and heads to the car to take him to the helicopter pad.

M stirs as he puts her in the back of the car but does not wake. Bond drives quickly and reaches the helicopter to take them back to London.

An hour later they land and M still sleeps in his arms. His legs and arms are a bit numb and he refuses to sleep until he has her safe.

There is a driver waiting for them when they land and they quickly make it back as the sun is rising on another day in the quarantine tent village.

Bond carries M into a sleeping quarters tent. Tanner and Q are sleeping on one side of the tent and Bond lays down facing M and puts his arm tightly around her. Bond feels her stir and stiffen in panic at his closeness.

"Shhhsh…M it's James…I've got you now…your safe with me." James kisses her forehead and she relaxes into his embrace and goes back to sleep the rest of the drug and fatigue of the last 38 hours away.

James Bond finally feels himself slip into sleep with his lady fair back in his arms.


	19. Chapter 19

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "Fanfiction isn't copying - it's a celebration. One long party, from the first capital letter to the last full stop!"
> 
> — Jasper Fforde, One of Our Thursdays Is Missing

M wakes with a start and feels arms around her. Panic sets in and she pulls away but the smell of him is familiar. James found her.

Thank god…she remembers trying to fight William and him forcing the drug into her mouth. M desperately hopes that James arrived before William had time to…no she does not feel like he forced himself on her person.

James stirs and looks at her and smiles about to pull her into a kiss when they hear a throat clear behind them and M stiffens and her eyes become wide as she realized where she is and who she's cuddled up against.

M disengages herself from her agent and moves to a sitting position to see a smiling Q standing behind Eve and Tanner. Eve is smiling and about to have a fit of the giggles and Tanner smirks and looks his usual uncomfortable self.

"Eve!" James smiles…"you look fabulous this morning!"

M smiles at her and stands with some help from Tanner. The small military cot is low to the ground and not very comfortable for two.

"So glad to see you up and around Ms. Moneypenny. Tanner do you have a report for me other than our Eve's been cured?"

"Yes ma'am. Gareth Mallory arrived with his father 30 minutes ago. William is in medical and being treated…he seems to have suffered from a bit of a beating."

Tanner looks pointedly at Bond.

"Not me Tanner…I think someone to offence to his presumptions." James glances down at M who's flushed and adjusting her clothing trying to tame her wayward hair by running her fingers through it.

"I will deal with William Mallory later Mr. Tanner. How are the other infected?"

"Getting better, with the exception of the first 10 cases. It appears as though there are small traces of a pulse and decreased body function but the brain and heart are still working. The fact that some did die and come back is the main concern. 005 is overseeing the scientist responsible and he has been far more cooperative as a result. Given time all are expected to recover but will need monitoring continuously."

Bond frowns. "What about the 10 cases? Will they ever be the same?"

"We are in a wait and see situation with them...hopefully they will. If not MI6 will be a home for Zombies for a long time ast The military wants to begin easing quarantine and allow Felix to take his ex-partner home. The ten cases will stay in the bunker that is now clean. The scientists want to move everything into the bunker. The PM has reopened Vauxhall cross for us and MI5 have set up shop for us there."

"Good…I hope to get this all settled and go home for a long bath."

Eve laughs. "I agree…it will help me feel alive again."

Q laughs. "We could all use a good shower and proper rest. I have to add that the press finally got to someone who leaked what has gone on here in the last three days. The papers are short on proper information but the incredulous nature of the story are making for a good read."

M nods. "Let us just hope that this can go down as a London urban myth within a few months."

Bond stretches to work out his muscles after the gruelling day he had yesterday.

"Shall we go to the mess tent and get some food before we tackle the rest of the day?"

M nods and the rest of the group follows to break their fast.

Gareth Mallory is in the tent eating when they arrive. He stands and approaches M.

"M may I speak with you?"

"Yes. Mr. Mallory."

They walk to the corner of the room and Bond follows. Mallory shoots him a look but shrugs in understanding. Bond is not going to let her out of his site around anyone named Mallory.

"Father is undergoing treatment for the unforeseen side effects of the inoculation he received. I hope that you will come see him with me later….I know he has some apologizing to do to you but I really doubt he will remember all that occurred yesterday. For my part in any of this I am very sorry M and I hope you can forgive me."

"I know it had nothing to do with you Gareth and now that we do know it was a drug interaction and William was not in his right mind I will attempt to forgive him. I will definitely not be seeing him socially anymore."

"I can understand that M and I am going to suggest that he move in with his brother in the north after all this."

"I am not saying that I object Gareth but London is a large enough city that there is room enough for both of us. You cannot give up on a relationship with your father just because of a little trouble that was not of his doing."

Bond shifts on his feet wishing M would agree to the banishment of William Mallory. Bond is never going to trust that man anywhere within 5 km's of M. He cannot be here all the time to watch over her. Bond has to go on missions sometimes, unless he takes a desk job.

They get some food and all sit down and eat quietly. The staff is in that uncomfortable realm of wanting information but being terrified to ask for it. After all they saw their stalwart authoritarian boss of many years cuddled in the arms of her best agent.

M considers the silence before her as she looks on her staff with a very stern expression on her face.

"Out with it!"

Tanner, Eve, Q, Mallory and Bond who are sharing the table look up suddenly at her remark.

"What do I need to know or what are you afraid of asking?"

A chorus of "Nothing ma'am" occurs and M shakes her head.

"Well, I have something to share with the lot of you."

The table collectively shrinks back in preparation for a verbal lashing from M.

"I am now in a new relationship and I hope that it does not offend any of you. I also promise, right now that it will not interfere with my work and if it does I will step down and retire."

M had to smile at the shocked faces looking back at her.

Bond smiled and laughed.

"You just enjoy the shock value…all this time I thought you just put on a vicious front because you are a woman in a man's job. Darling all you really want is to make people's eye's pop out of their heads in shock."

"Enough out of you James. I want their opinions…I already know yours."

M places a hand on his knee as Eve laughs, Q blushes, Tanner fidgets with his watch and Mallory looks uncomfortably away and clears his throat.

Bond took her hand from his knee and kisses it for all to see.

"Well, through silent body language I infer one happy, two embarrassed by picturing me having sex with a younger man and one disappointed because it could have been him or his father."

Bond looks at the table and back to M.

"I'm right…shock value…you love it and you have them pegged my love."

Felix enters the tent rushing over to them. "He's gone!"

They all jump up and M moves towards him. "Craig?"

"Yes…bastard slipped out after using the facilities."

"Tanner place an alert out on the former agent and let's go to the command tent."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Q gives a report after running some searches. "He has managed to evade many of the cameras but I think he headed on a train towards Paris."

"Tanner who do we have in Europe right now?"

"Ma'am we have 003 in Prague chasing down the rest of the drug."

Felix puts his phone away. "I have out CIA operatives on the continent looking for him."

M looks at the computer display and remembers something but does not choose to share. "What does he hope to carry out in Europe? Tanner have 005 bring us Gills to question about the agent's plans."

"Right ma'am."

M bite her lower lip and Bond frowns at her. Sensing that she does not want an audience for what she is mulling over yet, Bond pulls her into a corner of the room.

"What is it?" Bond whispers quietly.

"He escaped with Gills and when I questioned him earlier Gills said he was given a villa in Tuscany for his part in this. We did not investigate further…I need someone there and I do not trust the Americans with this."

"Tanner could you and Q join us for a moment?" Bond waves them over.

Eve stays with Mallory and Felix talking.

"Yes M?"

"Mr. Tanner who do we have in Italy that can go to Gills' Tuscany villa and search before the Americans get there?"

Tanner looks to Q who takes his tablet and keys in some information.

"We have one agent that is on a joint mission with two members of the Canadian SIS agency."

M looks at Q and Tanner. "What are their specialities?"

Q smiles and shows her the dossiers on the three agents a computer expert, infiltration specialist and a tactician. In Italy for two weeks so far doing minor surveillance on people of interest to both our agencies.

"They could do the job ma'am and they may fly under the radar because they are only training and gathering intel."

"Tanner you and Q go to a private site with less eyes and ears and contact them with the mission. Tanner I need a line through to Ottawa to give them the heads up. I'm sure they will lend us their talent for a few days. Detail what they are looking for and tell them not to make a mess."

"Right M…know one is to know that they were ever there."

"Exactly. We may have a problem with a CIA mole so Felix must be kept in the dark for now. I want them there ASAP and details within 12 hours. Tanner this takes top priority so have 003 meet with them as soon as his mission is completed."

Bond looked at M. "Are you sure you can trust another agency with this?"

"Can we ever trust anyone, even our own Bond? They were not expecting to get this assignment so they won't be a problem unless one of the new trainee tacticians is a mole waiting for this exact moment to spring into action…I am willing to bet no on that."

Tanner hands M a phone. "Yes, sorry to call so early but something has come up…."

M wanders away from the group while she speaks to the head of CSIS. After the call ends she wanders back to her team.

005 enters with Gills in tow. The man is cradling his hand that apparently has two broken fingers.

M looks at the man. "Do you have anything more to say to us to lessen your sentence?"

To answer Gills spits at 005 who slaps him upside the head and growls at him.

"005 please escort him to the cells in the bunker…he can stay beside our brothers and sisters that he infected with his medication.

"I think we should go to medical and get this quarantine lifted and the remaining infected set up within the bunker. I for one would like to go home this evening and prepare to meet with the infected's families tomorrow."

M and the group move to see the progress in medical. There are many more full beds as the members of her staff are becoming human again. Some are even sitting up and joking with each other about Halloween pranks.

M moved through the ranks with Bond close on her heels while she chats with the patients. The PM has given the all go to move into their old offices by morning. M composes herself and heads to see Mallory.

Gareth was standing beside his father as Bond and M walk over.

"William, how are you feeling?"

"Much better…I will never be able to apologize enough to you M. I don't know the man that abducted you."

"I hope I never meet him again."

"You have a wicked right hook little lady."

Gareth and Bond smile at that one. M walks to the edge of his bed and takes his hand in hers.

"I am glad you are back to normal and by this evening we will all be going home."

"I assume that we will be friends again eventually my dear but I can see by Bond's posture that he is more than just your agent now."

"Yes, he is and we can be friends William but don't expect to see me alone again."

By 8 in the evening M's exhausted and relieved to be saying good night and heading home.

Bond had left the hour earlier to go collect some things from his flat before picking her up. Before he did he pulled Tanner aside for a little chat. Tanner had not left her side for a moment since.

"Mr. Tanner, what did Bond say to you that I cannot go to the bathroom by myself while he is gone?"

"Ma'am, he told me that he would put me in with those still infected if you were not in my line of sight the entire time he is gone. I am very sorry M…for not paying more attention yesterday when Mallory took you…I hope you can forgive me because Bond sure the hell won't."

"Yes, Mr. Tanner I forgive you. After all you seem unsurprised by the change in my relationship with Bond and I thank you for that support."

"Well, ma'am it was a shock but once Eve mentioned it looking back since we almost lost you at Skyfall there has been a change in him. The biggest shock is that you agreed….it was not expected."

"No, I guess it surprised me also…I will enjoy it for as long as it lasts…that is all we can do in this life."

"Quit right ma'am. I see that your ride is here ma'am…have a pleasant evening M."

M turns to smile at Bond who is carrying flowers and is freshly showered and casually dressed to take her home.

"James these are lovely."

James leans to kiss her but she pulls away and puts her hand up.

"Work boundaries Bond…we wouldn't want to make poor Tanner uncomfortable now would we?"

"I guess not. Are you ready, I picked up dinner on the way."

They said their good nights to the staff and got in James' car.

"M you did not tell me what happened on the train. I found you cuddled up with Mallory, him clutching at your unbuttoned shirt."

"The memories are jumbled from the drugs but he was taking me to get married. William told me you had given me up and he would look after me in our retirement."

"You fought him?"

"Oh yes…kneed him in the groin and punched him. I found the pills in his pockets and stuffed one in his mouth but he took it out and pinned me giving me another dose also. In his altered state he planned on having me but luckily the sedative took hold in time to prevent it."

"I will never give you up M."

"Well, so you claim but what about my even later years and if I am sickly? I don't expect you to stay James."

"I will M."

"All the nurses in the home will think you are my son…let's not dwell on it. I think we should take your advice and live in the now."

Bond smirks at her. "Do you know what I've dreamed about doing to you all day?"

M chuckles. "No but I imagine it does not me having a bath, eating and falling soundly asleep within the next hour."

"I think we can fit it all in if you have a shower instead."

Once they arrive at M's flat Bond ushers her upstairs for a shower while he warms the dinner and sets the table. Bond puts music on and opens some wine.

M quickly has a shower and looks for something to wear. In the back of her top draw she finds a deep blue negligé that Nigel bought her a few years ago. It has lovely wide elastic lace straps and built-in support that hugs her chest in satin and lace. The skirt portion flairs from under the empire waist and drops to above her knees.

M is surprising herself with how excited she is to dress provocatively for James but she covers it up with her comfortably unsexy robe that he stripped off her…days ago.

M finds her slippers and heads down for dinner.

Bond sees her come down in her robe with no make up and hair everywhere. She could not be more beautiful to him than natural way she is now.

"M you look divine…I love your robe."

M swats him. "Stop lying and being a prat Bond."

"Hey that robe did me in the other night and flannel nightwear is also one of my turn ons."

"Well, than James you will be in a constant state of arousal because of my comfortable wardrobe …now let's eat something other than sandwiches and muffins."

They ate in relative silence and moved to the kitchen to load the dishwasher. Bond could barely contain himself knowing what he hoped was coming next. They moved into the sitting room with the rest of the wine and sat on the sofa.

Bond had lit a fire earlier and it was nice and warm. Add wine and M's flushed and getting very warm in anticipation of his first move. It did not come…he just watched her as if waiting for an indicator.

"Well, Bond I thought your seduction was to continue but after finally bedding me is there nothing left in your arsenal?"

"M! Really, I am shocked…I was just enjoying a moment's peace with you. I mean, every ten seconds a man is kidnapping you for marriage or insulting your honour. I'm exhausted just keeping up with you…and all your men."

M laughs. "My men…there is only one important one other than my son and he is here before me after countless rescues. How am I going to manage to send you away on a mission after all that has happened between us?"

"Maybe I should take vacation or retire my 00 status?"

"Bond! You would consider that...early with out me having to force you too?"

"For you, anything my dear…I don't trust anyone else to guard your body for longer than an hour at most."

M stands and holds out her hand for Bond. James grabs it and stands beside her.

"Let's go to bed."

"Why don't we just cuddle and watch TV for a while and I will rub your feet. You looked so tired today I just want you to get some rest. We are in a relationship, finally M and we don't have to behave like over sexed teens for me to love you deeply."

With that M untied her robe and slipped it off her shoulders allowing it to hit the floor. She watched Bond closely as his eyes changed along with his demeanour. M saw him swallow and reach an arm out towards her face.

James cupped her cheek unable to give words to the jumble of feelings flooding from his groin to his heart.

Blood was pumping faster and swelling him within the flash of seconds it took for his brain to register the vision before him.

Zombies shocked him less than his desire for her at this moment.

M is a vision and his seems to be developing spots…christ he's going to faint.

M watches the array of emotion play across his face and the sudden pallor of his skin…christ he isn't getting sick is he.

"JAMES!"

James manages to back himself to the sofa and sit down. He then puts his head between his knees to get some blood flowing.

M sits beside him and urges him to lay down flat. "James breath a deep breath in through your mouth and slowly out through your nose…and again…again…feeling any better?"

"Jesus...woman, that is the best surprise present I've ever received and you didn't even let me unwrap it myself!"

M's throaty laugh made him harder than he was before. His hands caressed her shoulders as he gently pulls the lace straps down but M's hands stop him.

"James I think we need the sleep…can you manage to make it to bed?"

"M I feel fine and sleep is now the last thing on my mind."

M smiled and caressed him through his trousers causing a moan to escape his lips. Bond was still pale and she did not want him to get up suddenly.

So M bent over and kissed him gently but he pulled her to him effectively covering himself with her body.

M was enjoying the closeness. Bond was trying to sit up but she pushed him back down.

"I told you no! I don't want you to faint on me, you are physically exhausted."

"M…I need you so bad…please don't stop me…I will crawl upstairs on my hands and knees please."

"Get up very slowly and we will see if you are able."

Bond willed his body to obey and gradually stood while he continued to caress her in the sexiest piece of clothing he has ever seen…I covers a fair amount of her creamy ivory skin but still…incredible.

M takes his hand and they walk upstairs to her room. She sits Bond down on the bed in front of her and begins removing his clothing for him.

Bond's eyes are riveted on her breast as his breathing becomes erratic again. Bond begins breathing as she told him too downstairs. This is the first time he has ever fainted without being hit in the head.

M chuckles at him as she removes his clothing and caresses his chest. With only his boxers remaining she gets him to sit back on the bed propped up on pillows. M can see how aroused he is.

M takes the waistband of his pants and slips them under and off him. Bond remains silently shocked that he is not the initiator of any of these actions tonight and that she plans to take what she needs from him. This turns him on even more…

M strokes his length and then mouths the head. Bond's eyes go wide and he again feels light-headed as he leans his head back into the pillows.

"M…my god! You…"

"What Bond?" M still holds him in her hands as she moves to straddle him.

Bond locks eyes with M and takes her lace and satin covered breasts in his hands as she arches towards him. She hovers over his erection and Bond hopes that something is going to happen soon because he is close to exploding or loosing consciousness.

M impales herself on him painfully slowly for Bond's liking but she is easing the way because she in not ready enough and she does not have any lube at the moment.

Bond sees her grimace and takes the hint and uses his hand to move his penis along outside her sex…M moves with him and within minutes the two of them are about to climax.

They lock eyes and M guides him gloriously slowly insider her before they do. It is a sensation of pain and bliss once he is completely sheathed inside her and his eyes go wild as his breathing sputters and he ejaculates just as M climaxes.

M lies on top of Bond as their breathing returns to normal. "Are you all right James?"

"Damn yes…M…are you all right?"

"I am now…but I will have to pick up some lube soon."

"I'm sorry M. I should have worked to prepare you better…it's just that before."

"I know…being post menopausal sometimes the body works and other times…do you still feel faint?"

"No…I feel amazing."

To prove it he begins kissing her in earnest as he rolls her beneath him and begins rocking his hips. Bond is still buried inside her and is hardening again.

M's eyes go wide in shock as she feels him stiffen and rock against her again.

She moans into his mouth as the steady rhythm he sets begins to bring her towards ecstasy. "Yes love…yes!"

Bond's spurred on by her as he mouths her neck. "Christ…M…I…so close again…already and you're still bloody clothed!"

M laughs as James pulls up the skirt of the negligé and uses his fingers to make sure to bring her with him. They both cry out as James collapses on top of her sweating and panting.

"You're…you... will be the death of me yet…minx…and I've only…just retired."

"I suppose this is better than me getting you shot in the field."

"Infinitely better…M. We need to discuss living arrangements soon because I am not sleeping without you in this sexy little thing…ever again."

"You like it? Nigel bought it for me three years ago."

"I don't want to see you in anything else. Your husband had the most excellent taste in the entire world…he got you and he got you this."

Bond moves to lie beside her and pulls one strap down to expose a breast. He then places kisses all over and licks her hardening nipple.

"I like the benefit of removing this glorious item of clothing also."

M smiles at him as he sucks her flesh, warming her all over again. James switches breasts and moves between her legs again.

"James…you can't seriously!"

"Oh but I can…you drive me mad and I have not been able to touch you in days…not to mention that a man took you from me and tried to have his way with you. You...my dear, are the reward at the end of the epic quest…and I am never going to let you forget that."

Bond pauses to pull the rumbled blue night-dress over her head to look on her naked body flushed by desire and sex.

"I won't bloody well be able to walk tomorrow."

"I'll carry you."

Bond's mouth covers her breast again as he ease inside her. M wraps her legs around his waist and Bond rolls them over so that she can ride him.

M leans forward and kisses him soundly as she rocks against him.

James arches towards her letting her set the pace and holding the urge to thrust up with great difficulty.

M clutches at him with her muscles as she grinds into him increasing in volume as she becomes further undone.

Bond watches the way she moves and palms her breasts pulling her forward to take one into his mouth, groaning as he does it. M is panting getting closer she begins to pull off him and slams back down on him grinding herself against him.

James cries out "M!"

M is close but wants him with her. "Yes my love…come with me…harder James."

James is sweating as he begins arching into her deliciously wet heat. Watching her become more and more undone on top of him sends him over the edge.

"M…M…Olivia!"

"JAMES!"

M collapses on top of him panting…she has not had this kind of exercise for years. In her daze she rolls off her young lover and stares up at the ceiling of her bedroom.

"I'll clean out a closet for you tomorrow and you can put your flat on the market."

Bond smiles as he tries to reclaim oxygen.

"I will go to the lingerie shop to get you 6 more of those dresses in different colours."

M laughs as she rolls off the bed and heads to the shower taking the negligé with her.

"Care to join me…I hate to got to sleep dirty."

"I love you dirty, Olivia…that will take some getting use to…if you allow me?"

"Yes, you may after that performance."

James gets up and joins her in the shower wondering if he can manage round 4 without passing out.

M reads his thoughts and smirks. "Save it for the morning darling…after all you promised to carry me."

"That I did…that I did."

Bond insisted on washing and kissing every part of her in the shower giving her another orgasm with his tongue lapping at her while kneeling before her. M brought him off with her hand as she cleaned his member throughly. Both were enjoying this discovery phase of their relationship.

Life with Olivia Mansfield was going to be very stimulating.

True to his word, James Bond carried her out of the house to the car and out of the car park to her private elevator. They rode up to her newly restored office to begin work. Kissing her goodbye but longing to stay and explore some in office fantasies Bond has harboured for many years.

M for her part had difficulty sitting...she's hoping to get use to feeling delightfully well pleasured on a nightly basis.

Bond would have to meet her children next…

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Epilogue:

Within the next few days loose ends get tied up. M and her staff enter their newly restored offices and Q co-ordinates with the MI5 team in place setting up the new network.

Felix said his goodbyes and headed after agent Craig in parts unknown. Mallory officially lifted the quarantine and met with the PM and the press.

The infection's reported on officially in the press and the death of 25 employees of SIS are announced after the families were contacted.

003 found the extra drug leakage in Eastern Europe and eliminated his targets. 003 joined with the team in Italy as they accomplished their task. It was fortuitous that he did because agent Craig appeared just as they were cleaning the scene.

003 apprehended Craig and M told him to sit on him until Felix arrived to take him. They hope that Felix will be able to discover the mole within the CIA.

The scientific lab set in the bunker of MI6's temporary headquarters are still working on curing the last 10 victims and creating a less volatile antidote for future use.

The military is breaking down their temporary tent city to allow life to get back to normal for this part of London.

M's concerned about Quantum having more information on the virus and possible future attacks.

The news has issued warnings signs of the symptoms and do not interact with suspected infectious people.

Step one: Lock them in a room as they do not have much manual dexterity.

Step two: Alert the authorities.

Bond moved into M's flat and gave his retirement notice. Bond thought that there was nothing in his life more important than his job but he was wrong.

M is the best thing that ever happened to him.

Bond has reawaken M's passion for life and revitalized her libido…much to both her and Bond's delight.

Overall the lessons learned are, when faced with the Zombie apocalypse:

KEEP CALM

and

stay close

to Bond,

James Bond.

The End.


End file.
